


Tales of the Necromancer Part 1-The Prodigal

by opkil



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Series, The Prodigal, necromancer - Freeform, original - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-02
Updated: 2013-07-30
Packaged: 2017-12-16 21:41:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 51,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/866909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opkil/pseuds/opkil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Domovoi Bolt is the Crown Prince of Boltheim, the Kingdom of Humans in the world of Allia. The World of Allia is a mysterious place of endless wonder, with plateaus and oases filled with dinosaurs, with forests and grasslands filled with animals. Some say that some herds of creatures are transported from across time.</p><p>One day, he meets a beautiful maiden. He saves her from a T.Rex, and they become friends. She turns out to be a zany protestor, trying to free Boltheim from the tyranny of Domovoi's father.</p><p>They uncover a terrible secret, and they work together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1-All Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Domovoi Bolt restores and improves an ancient weapon. He shows it off to his brother and Father, the King.

_“I’m here. I’m here.” The shellshocked young man whispered. His body quivered in fear, and in fury. His best friend laid on the ground, amidst the rubble and ruins of battle. He propped her head onto his knee, and tries to heal her. His magic wasn’t working at its fullest potential-he was not in the right frame of mind._

 

_She opened her eyes, and looked at him. She smileed, as she struggleed to bring one hand to his face. Her hands were bloodied from the battle. She kept them steady anyway._

 

_“My dear Dombomb.” She said simply, with a faint smile on her face._

 

_“Stay with me, Artie. Please stay with me.” He says, trying his best to remain calm, and failing so badly._

 

_Domovoi was terrified. He held everything he properly had left to care about, and in his arms, she was dying._

 

_Artemis was slowly feeling the endorphins flood her body. She was dying, and there was no coming out of it. There was no way out of death, not even Magic._

_She held onto Domovoi’s hand, and she grips onto it tightly-or as tightly as she could muster._

 

_“Dombomb, are you afraid of death?”_

 

_Domovoi had no reply. It was clear that he was._

 

_“I am.” He mouthed. He started sobbing and weeping._

 

_“Dom, I’m more afraid of you.”_

 

_____________________________

 

10 months earlier

 

Prince Domovoi Bolt was morose, or so it seemed. He always seemed too serious for his own good, but this merely amplified the immense joy he would feel when the moment comes. He was in his workshop and he was tinkering around with a new invention. He was working on something new. Something that would change the meaning of hard labour forever.

The workshop was an accumulated collection of inventions that he made over the years. Inventions commissioned for the Elves, and some for the Merfolk, and even some for the Goblins. Inventions to better the lives of the people, and to further the understanding of Magic, and Science. 

 

“Sir, what are going to be working on today?” Asked Powow, the Goblin assistant. He carried ancient relics, and he placed them carefully on the work table.

 

“We are going to work on making a new weapon.” Domovoi replied. He had appreciated Powow’s help. 

 

He started chanting over an ancient Sword and Shield. Ragnarok, the Legendary Blade that his ancestors had used to save Allia, and Justice, the Legendary Shield that had been used to overpower an ancient Demon. Domovoi didn’t care much for ancient superstition, but considering that he had the ability to cast lightning bolts out of his fingertips, he thought it fitting to enchant a symbol of Justice with magic.

 

“Before I continue, Powow…take cover behind the Blast Shields if you’re feeling nervous.” Dom said to Powow. Powow nodded. He understood that the magic Dom was using can be dangerous.

 

Though they both looked impressive, the blade was rusted and blunt. The shield was dented and badly corroded.

 

“I summon the spirit of this blade, and this shield. I ask of you to be with me, and I ask you to protect and serve.” He chanted. 

 

The magic pulsed through his fingertips. He aimed the magic in his right hand toward the sword. Powow scurried behind the blast shields.

 

“I call for the power of the Unstoppable Sword. The sword able to part continents, and cut through even diamond!”

 

The sword started to glow. It started to glow a faint shade of crimson. It levitated and started glowing with an aura of power. The rust seemed to slowly glow and disappear. The blunt edge slowly became sharp. It radiated an intimidating aura of power, befitting a sword of its caliber.

 

Domovoi then smiled, and he aimed the magic in his left hand toward the shield.

 

“I call for the protection of the Immovable Shield. The shield able to withstand the power of Allia itself, and protect through anything!”

 

Slowly, the shield started to follow suit. It glowed a shade of azure, and levitated along with the sword. Instead of an aura of power, it seemed to glow with a comforting glow. A glow of protection. The corrosion disappeared, instead replacing itself with the Bolt Family Emblem. The dents disappeared.

 

Both the Sword and Shield spun around. It slowly stopped glowing, and a voice replied.

 

“How may I serve you?”

 

“Identify yourself, spirit.” Domovoi requested. He was happy, but he couldn’t let the pride get to his head before the enchantment was done. Powow came out from behind the blast shield. He observed quietly.

 

“I am the Protector, Andris.” The spirit replied. 

 

“Okay, just hold that thought.” Domovoi replied.

 

Domovoi took the sword out its sheath, and attempted to slice his worktable.

 

The sword cut the table into half cleanly. Dom was impressed. He then sheathed the sword, and went to take the shield. He fastened the straps on his left arm.

 

Domovoi flicked his fingers, and started the automatic crossbow that he had on the other side of the workshop. It aimed right at him. The crossbow bolt bounced off the shield.

 

“It worked.” Domovoi was stunned by the power of his magic.

 

“It seems to have, Prince.” Powow said, impressed at the mastery.

 

Dom passed the blade to Powow. Powow swung it around and observed the finesse at which he could use it. 

 

“Are you like…a ghost?” Dom was puzzled, directing the question to the shield.

 

“I suppose that…since my body is a sword and shield, I must have died a long time ago.” The voice replied to Dom.

 

Domovoi was happy, and then he hugged Powow.

 

“This is just fantastic.” He smiles and whoops around the workshop. Powow whooped with him.

 

“Sir, who are you?” Andris asked.

 

“I am Domovoi, Domovoi Bolt of the Boltheim family.”

 

“Thank you sir. I am Andris Shieldbearer, Bodyguard of the Prince Adam Holyshield.”

 

Domovoi just dropped the shield. 

 

“You mean, you are THAT Andris? The Andris who protected my ancestors?”  Domovoi replied, as he propped the shield up on the desk.

 

“Ancestors, sir?” Andris sounded confused.

 

“Yes, Andris. The Holyshield family were…eons ago.”

 

“I see. Well, looks like I’ll be your protector then, Sir Domovoi.”

 

“Andris, that would be an honour.”

 

Powow then stepped in, and piped up.

 

“Prince Dom. Then what is your plan now?” Powow said. He was one of the few Goblins allowed into such private matters in the Boltheim Castle. He served as Domovoi’s advisor.

 

“Simple, Powow. We show it off to Dad.” Domovoi smiled.

 

__________________

 

Almost every evening, the King Alaric would hold a private meeting with his two sons, Prince Domovoi and Prince Joshua Bolt.

He had started this tradition ever since the Queen Suzanna died, to ensure that he always had some time with his sons. It had started when they were children, where Joshua would tell him of the drawings and how he had managed to win a game of chess against his tutor, and Domovoi would tell him of his inventions.

 

Now, as they are so much older, Joshua would then report to the King what he has been doing as one of the royal Paladins of Boltheim. He would then tell the king of the arrests made, and of the people who have been affected. The King would then allocate budget into Joshua’s division-an elite team of soldiers commanded by him, and only him.

 

Domovoi would report of the projects he was working on. The King would be interested, because many of these inventions helped not just the people of Boltheim, but their allies. It worked as a way to reach out to all of Allia, and the King was extremely interested in Domovoi’s inventions.

 

Domovoi wore the Shield on his back, and the sword on his belt. He had learnt how to wear combat gear from Joshua.

 

He walked into the throne room, and he sees his father and his younger brother already there.

 

King Alaric smiles brightly. Domovoi walked up to him and gave him his usual hug.

 

“So, we can commence tonight’s meeting.” King Alaric said in his booming and deep voice. He felt warm, and he knows when Domovoi had something new. Dom had that smile on his face. A mischievous grin.

 

Joshua got into his reporting stance.

 

“Father.” Joshua bowed, and he opened his folder.

 

“Yes, my son. Continue.”

 

Joshua nodded, and started.

 

“Father, there has been a recent resurgence of Half-Elven protests. They seem to be led by a Half-Elven woman, named Artemis. We encountered them in the western provinces recently.”

 

“What exactly is their agenda?”

 

Joshua seemed to look uncomfortable as he continued.

 

“They ask for equal treatment from both Humans and Elves. It was not their fault for being born Half-Elven.” He replies nervously.

 

The King scoffed, and then guffawed before switching to a dark disposition.

 

“Kill them.” The King ordered.

 

Domovoi flinched from the King’s harsh reply. 

 

“Father!” Domovoi objected. 

 

Joshua shot Domovoi a look, as if telling him to not argue back. Domovoi merely shook it off.

 

“Yes, Domovoi? What?” He replied. His jovial mood seemed to switch almost instantly, and he was irritable.

 

“That is inhumane.” Domovoi said simply. 

 

“Really? Half-Elvens are inhumane. They are an abomination. The Elves don’t want anything to do with them, and those treehuggers want everything to do with everything.”

 

“And you would kill them, just because they live longer, and just because of the fact that they have magic? Just because they were born the way they were, and just because you personally believe that they are physical living abominations??” Domovoi argued back. 

 

“Well, they are a menace to the society. They start protests asking for something that simply cannot be.” The King replies coldly.

 

“I demand for you to at least give them a fair trial.”

 

The King held his stare on Domovoi. Domovoi was unflinching in his request.

 

“I am your father.” Alaric said simply as he kept the stare going.

 

“And I am your son. The Son of Suzanna Bolt, and I will not let you simply KILL people who are standing up for what they believe is the most rudimentary basic right to live their life unfettered.”

 

Alaric almost instantly shifted from his rock-hard disposition into a feeling of remorse. He then nods.

 

“Joshua.” He whispers.

 

“Yes Father?”

 

“I take back my order. I forbid you to take the life of these protestors and I order you to arrest them and bring them to this throne room for a ‘fair trial’ that your elder brother so wishes to have for them. Is that understood?” 

 

Joshua nodded. He then saluted and took a step back, for Domovoi.

 

Domovoi stood forward and bowed.

 

Emotions and tensions still ran high within the throne room, but he kept his cool. Domovoi then drew his sword.

 

“Father. I have invented the strongest sword and shield in all the land.” Domovoi introduced his sword and shield.

 

The King smiled and started laughing.

 

“Surely you kid. Many blacksmiths in Allia have claimed to have invented magical swords that are capable of rending a Dragon in half, and cutting a castle in twine, or some mumbo jumbo ridiculous enough to make an impressionable King believe in a charlatan.”

 

Domovoi simply smiled.

 

“I have invented a weapon so strong, that I would be able to beat a Paladin in battle.”

 

The King and Joshua then looked at each other. Joshua was known to be one of the best Paladins in the order, and he was trained by numerous different masters. His sword technique was impeccable. Domovoi seemed nearly mad.

 

The silence was deafening, and the mockery in both King Alaric’s and Joshua’s eyes was inherent. They didn’t believe Domovoi, not even for a second. King Alaric and Joshua exchanged looks, it was an arrogant boast from Domovoi. They were used to his arrogance, but this was a challenge to their pride as warriors.

 

King Alaric broke the silence.

 

“Then, I challenge you, Domovoi. If you can best your younger brother in sword play, then I will double your budget for this year.” Said he. His voice dripped with sarcasm, but he was admittedly curious.

 

Domovoi simply nodded. He knew that he would be able to win. It would be satisfying to wipe their ‘warrior pride’ off their faces.

 

“Can you do it, Andris?” Domovoi whispered to his shield. He was feeling nervous.

 

“Definitely so, Master Domovoi.” Andris replied. Andris seemed to be able to speak into Domovoi’s mind.

 

“Then, let’s do this!” Domovoi called up. He felt the adrenaline rush, a luxury usually not afforded by an inventor. 

 

Domovoi flicked his fingers, and conjured a arena-like area in the Throne room. 

 

He then gestured for Joshua to enter the arena. Joshua smiled, impressed by the amount of work that Domovoi put into the conjuration.

 

He then took his place at his end of the arena. Domovoi took his place at the other end.

 

“Father, if you wouldn’t mind counting us down?” He said.

 

The King was rather taken aback by Domovoi’s sudden confidence-he had always been a meek child.

 

“Gentlemen, draw your swords!” Alaric shouted.

 

Domovoi and Joshua drew their swords, as they looked at each other in the eye.

 

“Ready!”

 

Domovoi felt his own grip tighten on the sword.

 

“Set!”

 

Joshua started to breathe deeply.

 

“GO!”

 

Domovoi ran ahead, and swung his sword, but he felt his shield arm jolt by itself. It was Andris, blocking an incoming hit from Joshua.

 

Joshua then swung a straight cut down. It was all over in a flash-Joshua was disarmed by a good hit from Justice, the shield. Domovoi then cut down Joshua’s shield. Joshua’s shield then breaks apart. 

 

Joshua then signaled the sign of forfeit, and inspects the shield that broke.

 

Domovoi then broke the conjuration of the arena, as he rushes to Joshua’s side.

 

“Are you okay, brother?”

 

Joshua smiles and nods. He applied pressure to one of his fingers, to stem the bleeding.

 

“Holy crap, Dom. That is one fine sword and shield you have.” Joshua was more taken aback than genuinely hurt. 

 

The King started clapping. 

 

“I guess that means you win that budget upgrade.” Alaric said. 

 

Joshua then looked up from his injury. 

 

“Before I go to the medical centre-I want to know how you did it.” Joshua said. He was genuinely curious. Few people could possess such prowess with a weapon to be able to best him in a sword fight-let alone shattering his shield so cleanly. 

 

“Guess.” Dom said smugly in reply.

 

Joshua took a moment to think. He took a bit of a walk around Dom, examining the shield and the sword.

 

Alaric laughed.

 

“Simple, a super sharp sword?” Joshua guessed. It still didn’t explain Domovoi’s sudden proficiency with the movements and the stances, nor did it explain how Domovoi could hit a weak spot that was only open for a fraction of a second, no. That fight was from a master swordsman-the level of which Joshua hadn’t seen since his own master.

 

“No, it was Magic-Augmented,” Alaric pointed out. “Though I can’t seem to pinpoint HOW.”

 

Domovoi nodded and smiled. It was satisfying to be able to lord a small victory over Joshua and his father. He decided to keep the secret. He was still unsure on how he even managed to bind a soul into an ancient weapon. He was unsure on how he did it in the first place.

 

“Well, I’ll give you that much. It was Magically Enchanted.” Domovoi explained. 

 

“Heh, I suppose that would be a good addition into my stash.” Joshua nods. He knew that Domovoi wouldn’t allow the Holy Paladins to have access to such weaponry-until perfected. These weapons usually end up as prototypes until a long time later, when Domovoi would outfit each individual high-ranking Paladin with specific weapons befitting their roles.

 

Joshua then walks off toward the Medical Centre. Before he exits the Throne Room, he exchanged a look with Domovoi. The look seemed to say ‘don’t start anything’.

Domovoi nodded, and Joshua popped out of the room.

 

“So, how do you want to continue from there, Dom?” the King asked. He was always curious how far Domovoi would bring his inventions.

 

“I think I might need inspiration. This technology is strong, and I’d rather be careful.” Domovoi said slowly. He was deep in thought with the potential of such an invention. He looked at the shield in his hands, and saw the sheen of a newly-made shield. It was surreal, considering the state of disrepair it was in the morning.

 

“Be careful?” the King probed. 

 

“Lest it falls into the wrong hands.” Domovoi said pointedly. He glared at his father.

 

Tension was in the room again, and it was thick. Then came a thumping on the door.

 

“Come in.” The King ordered.

 

A man, grizzled with scars all over his face, and with an eyepatch came into the throne room.

 

“My liege.” He bowed, and stayed on one knee.

 

“I am NEVER to be interrupted in my evening meetings with my sons, General.” The King bellowed fiercely to the man.

 

The man then flashed a card to the King. He then stood up.

 

“I am really sorry, my liege, but we’ve found it.” 

 

The men following the General then started to wheel in a giant iron maiden. The window glowed with an intense indigo light. The King’s face changed to one of visible excitement. He then got to his feet, and examined the iron maiden, on a small cart. It looked intimidating, and it seemed to contain a dangerous being of some sort.

 

Domovoi was curious, but he decided to hold his tongue until the men leave.

 

“Very well, General. You and men will get paid. Proceed to the Treasury and collect your rewards.”

 

The unnamed general then bowed down on one knee.

 

“Sir, I apologise for this request, but could we ask for double the reward? It took a heavy toll on my men to capture this…creature.”

 

King Alaric looked at the general. He smiled, a dangerous smile. Domovoi recognised the smile, and it scared him. He started to cast a mental spell as the conversation continued, trying his best to target the General-to no avail. He needed a bit of physical contact.

 

The King paced the throne room for a bit, and found his wax seal and a bit of paper underneath the throne.

 

He then scribbled in quickly with a pen. He then sealed the letter with wax.

 

“Pass this to the Treasury.”

 

“Thank you sir. Thank you very much.” The General beamed.

 

The General got up to leave the room. Domovoi then went to the General, and shook his hand.

 

“Thank you, General. You have served your people well.”

 

The General was taken aback by such a show of gratitude. He smiled and bowed to Domovoi, and left.

 

The King then got up and walked with the guards wheeling the iron maiden to the Dungeons. He shot Domovoi a look, but continued on with the iron maiden. His prize of the day.

 

Domovoi took a seat, and wondered. Few things could make the King excited, and Domovoi was afraid. The possibilities were endless, and the probability of what could excite the King scared.

 

He took solace in the fact that he had saved the General from certain death. 

 

____________________

 

“ _Good day, General. This is a short message. I know you’re from my father’s black ops team, and you probably do questionable things,”_ The message played in the unnamed General’s head.

 

He was a General, and he was a from the King’s Black Operation team, meant to do the work too dirty to be officially associated with the King-be it spying on the Elves, killing rogue Mer-men, or culling Half-Elven villages merely because of the King’s hate. 

 

“ _The King wants to kill you. Take your reward, and do NOT give the note to the treasurer.”_ Domovoi’s voice played.

 

The General took note of it. He got his reward, and got back to the ship. He distributed the gold to his men-some of which had families. He gathered them around him.

 

He opened the note, sealed with wax.

 

“Kill this man, and dispose of his body.” The note read, in King Alaric’s handwriting.

 

He felt tears fall onto the paper. The General had been loyal to the King of Boltheim for many years. 

 

“Lads, we no longer work for King Alaric.” The General said to his men.

 

“Why sir? We are Black Operations, afterall.” 

 

The General related the story of his men. He owed a debt to the Prince Domovoi, and he was thankful.

 

____________________


	2. Chapter 2-Monotony Breeds Creativity

Domovoi looked out the window of his room, at the top of the tower of his part of the castle. He saw the Kingdom of Boltheim in all its glory. Houses closer to the castle were of the richer folk, their rooftops all installed with Domovoi’s patented solar-panels, charmed with an energy absorbing spell to absorb as much energy from the Sun and then channeling the energy by thin metal wires into a bulb of flammable gas. This allowed for light in the night, with the alternative being candle-light. It was a small work in progress, and Domovoi had convinced the rich to buy these kits. They would be the ones who needed the lights most-the scholars, doctors, lawyers and teachers.

 

The sky was bright, and azure with few clouds. The smells were good, coming from the castle kitchens, the smell of charred sugar, and the scent of ham coming out from the ovens. Domovoi pictured the sugary goodness of a good Elvisn flatbread-a flatbread made with special herbs from the Elves. It had a sugary-sweet taste, tinged with an odd flavouring somewhere between a sour-grape jam, and nutty hazelnut. Apparently, Elvish flatbread contains enough energy to sustain hunger in a grown man for up to a day.

 

He then observed that near the town-square where tents were being put up, tents with brightly coloured tops. A festival was being set up, in celebration of the coronation of the current King. The festival would be packed in the first few days, with a concert in the nights, and stalls from all over Allia would be set up. 

 

Domovoi felt uninspired. It was an occupational hazard of being a Prince, and an inventor. He had just completed Ragnarok and Justice, what he would consider to be his magnum opus. What could he possibly do to top that? 

 

Domovoi heard a light knocking on his door.

 

“Sir, it’s me, Powow,” The goblin piped up. Domovoi had been expecting him to wake him up. 

 

“Come in.” Domovoi ordered. Powow then opened the door and entered. He seemed flustered, and a bit of his sleeve seemed to have been torn off. Domovoi immediately went to him, and placed a finger on his lips. Powow perked up his long ears and signaled that he understood, by ‘nodding’ with his ears.

 

Domovoi flicked his fingers, and locked the door. He then soundproofed the room. He had a feeling that he would need whatever information that the goblin could give him. 

 

“Continue.” Domovoi said, releasing his finger from the goblin’s lips.

 

“I was set upon by dogs, sir,” Powow explained, gesturing to the chunk of clothing torn from his sleeve. He looked shellshocked, and excitable. He then looked behind him, as if he was still being chased after by the hounds.

 

Domovoi rubbed his chin, and adjusted his glasses. He then examined Powow’s clothing closely. 

 

“What did you see, Powow?” Domovoi said slowly, careful not to upset the goblin further. He then summoned a glass of water from his desk, and offered it to Powow. Powow graciously accepted the glass, and drank the water down in a gulp.

 

Powow took a few deep breaths, and calmed down. He started to speak.

 

“There were guards, around the outside of the compound, then as I infiltrated it, the hounds caught my scent, and chased me.” 

 

Domovoi bows. He was thankful for the effort of the goblin. Powow still looked shaken. Domovoi gave the small man a hug.

 

“You go take a rest today, Powow,” Domovoi ordered. 

 

Powow looked at his master, and nodded. He hugged Domovoi again in gratitude. Domovoi smiled. Powow was a good friend, and a good partner. 

 

_________

 

The King ate his breakfast slowly, reading an old book as he ate his oats and elvish flatbread. He had dug it out of the only shelf left of the ancient library-a book about ancient mythological creatures. The legends of the great spirits of Allia, and the giant behemoths that once governed the land, sea and sky.

 

Domovoi walked into the dining room, and took a seat across from his father. He told one of the servants to serve a small portion of elvish flatbread, and some eggs. The servant nodded, and left the room.

 

“I’m still curious about the iron maiden, father.” Domovoi said. 

 

Domovoi then took out a pen and notebook. He had brought along the small notebook, filled with small sketches of things that might do with enchantment, akin to the sword and shield he had enchanted the previous day. He had intended to do some light sketching as he ate.

 

The King continued eating, digging into his oats, drizzled lightly with honey.

 

“I am not telling you about it, Domovoi.” King Alaric said simply. He kept his eye on the book, flipped to a page about leviathan, the legendary sea whale, a whale capable of carrying an entire platoon of boats on its back, if it so wanted to. Alaric then chuckled lightly at the descriptions and the wood cut illustrations in the book.

 

Domovoi sketched a suit of armour, glowering at the image of a suit of armour. 

 

“You do realise, father,” Domovoi spoke slowly, as he erased mistakes here and there. He was slowly perfecting the sketch.

 

“Realise what?”

 

“I will stop you, if it was something cruel.”

 

King Alaric looked up, and stared at his son. They made eye contact. Domovoi was undaunted by the glowering glare of his father. King Alaric then chuckled and broke the tension. 

 

“You know, son? You should fashion a Golem of metal. Enchant it like how our ancestors tried to do with Rocks.” He flipped the book so that Domovoi could see the illustration.

 

Domovoi stared grudgingly at the illustration, but he took note of it. 

 

The server came in, and served Domovoi the eggs and elvish flatbread. Domovoi dug into the eggs, snapping his notebook shut.

 

“Seriously though. Forgetting my plans for a moment, what about yours, Dom?” The King asked pointedly. He was interested in what Domovoi intended to do with the enhanced budget to the Research and Development wing of the castle. 

 

Domovoi ignored the query. He had intended to keep his plans unknown. He refused to open up his collection and trove of ideas to the King. He was interested in the idea of a suit of armour. 

 

Silence hung in the room, between father and son. Joshua had left early in the morning on his patrols with his team. The King finished his food, and left the room. 

 

Domovoi was left alone. He opened his notebook again, and started sketching ideas about flight. He sketched ideas about a flying boat, about wings, similar to those of the angels. 

He then started calculating the amount of power the flying boat would need. He started calculating how the boat would work. He then thought about where the boat would be able to be stored. He dreamt of flight, he thought of escape. 

 

He sketched furiously the idea of a giant armour, the size of two men, being able to do the hard labour that the Goblins usually had trouble doing during construction work. He then thought about how the magical enchantments could be used to augment the armour. Magically enhanced armour with the ability to lift many times the weight of what the user would usually be capable of was commonplace with the elven mages. This was something more spectacular, something much more intriguing. Something that hasn’t been done-an automatic suit of armour, able to be piloted both from the inside, and by remote control.

 

Domovoi stayed in the dining room for about an hour, before being interrupted by Powow. He was engrossed in his idea. 

 

“Master, what am I to work on today?” The curious goblin looked up at Domovoi. He stepped in gingerly, his rubbery ears flopped.

 

Domovoi put a finger on his own lips. He gestured to the goblin to not interrupt him, not yet. He scribbled hard, and fast. He drew up numbers quickly, and worked the figures and the logarithms quickly. He calculated the size of an approximate suit of armour that this would work.

 

He then sighed with relief. He tore a few pieces of paper out of the notebook. It contained detailed sketches of the armour. He then scribbled a request to the blacksmith to use normal steel to fashion the parts.

He passed the pieces of paper to the goblin.

 

Powow examined the designs, and scrutinised it. He took out a monocle, and gave the armour a once over.

 

“Do you think the blacksmith would be able to finish this suit of armour quickly?” Domovoi asked Powow. 

 

Powow nodded. He knew the royal blacksmith personally. Jonathan Bec had been with the Bolt family for many years. Domovoi remembered when his mother would bring him around the castle’s different sections, just to ensure that everyone had been doing well. Jonathan Bec had helped Domovoi many times, with the heavy lifting in constructing elaborate pieces of weaponry.

 

“I do believe it possible, Master.” 

 

“Pass it to old Jon, and ask if he could have it done within the week?”

 

Powow bowed, and left Domovoi alone.

 

Domovoi looked at his notes, and he got up and slowly walked towards his laboratory.

 

______________

 

Artemis looked in the mirror. She combed her long, straight hair slowly. It was black, like her mother’s. It was the colour of ebony, the colour of the trees in the dark forests. A trait of the wood-elves. Hair blacker than anyone else. Most humans would have dark brown hair, that was classified as ‘black’. If that were possible, then her hair would be dark black. It shimmered with every drop of rain, and when it snowed, her hair would look like the night sky.

 

 Her eyes were blue, like her father’s. Azure as the skies, eyes befitting a human nobleman. Eyes usually associated with the angels, and the sky they governed. 

 

 She couldn’t decide if she were more of one or the other.

It didn’t much matter to her. She was a ‘Halve’ and she was afforded less than that of the usual rights. Mathematically, it would make sense. Why should a half-human be afforded the full benefits of being humans? They lived longer than their human counterparts, but much less than their elven counterparts. She knew it wasn’t a question of mathematics.

 

It was a question of humanity. A question of common decency.

 

She walked out of her room, dressed in her usual ranger’s outfit. She had her sword dangling on her side, fastened to her belt. It was useful, in case she were attacked by a Holy Paladin. She had sparred one Paladin before, after a post-riot drink at a bar. They were actually really gentlemanly, but hopelessly rigid with their customs. She highly doubted that there was a girl in the force.

 

What did it matter, the ancestry of one person? She wondered and pondered to herself. Afterall, that had been her lifelong goal-to unite the half-elves and obtain the rights befitting them. Befitting her people.

She was born the way she was, and she deserved to live. She should be allowed to live. She should be allowed to vote, or to marry or to even own property. She had money enough for that, ever since her father’s death a decade or so ago.

 

She greeted her friends, and walked toward the eastern exit of their hideout. A banner hung in the common room, saying “For all Halves, we are all Whole.”

For an abandoned sewer, it was remarkably clean, akin to the state of a road. Water had barely touched it, and there were rumours that the tunneling continued all the way into Castle Boltheim to the west.

 

She had started the Halves Rights taskforce about a year ago, with some of the gold that her father had left for her. Her mother lived in the elven forests, deciding to leave her be.

 

“If you would please, Clint?” Artemis asked the watchman to check if it were safe to surface.

 

Clint had shaggy hair that he kept hidden under a fez-a custom of the middle-eastern Boltheim humans. He wore glasses, made of plastic.

Clint the watchman nodded, and raised the metal periscope. He observed the surroundings for any suspicious persons. He then gave the all clear signal to Artemis, and slowly lowered the periscope and collapsed it.

 

“It’s all clear, miz Artemis.” The watchman replied, tipping his fez. Artemis gave him a pat on the back, as she climbed up the ladder.

 

She saw the tents in the distance, and slowly walked towards them. She could really go for some elvish flatbread. She missed her mother’s cooking. She resolved to go back to the Elvenlands to see her mother soon.

 

_________

 

Powow peeked into the laboratory, and saw Domovoi dressed up in his laboratory coat. Domovoi was in front of his blackboard, and it seemed to be split into half. Half of it was filled with mathematics and scientific scribbles. The other half was filled with runic symbols, and a giant magical circle. Erased and filled in repeatedly.

 

To the sides of the blackboard, there was another movable one, and that one had some paper hung on it, with a giant scribble of a boat thing with some sort of wings. There were arrows pointing out of it, with numerous notes.

From a distance, it might seem like the work of a madman, but Powow knew much better than that. It was genius at work. A genius capable of combining human science and magical potential together.

 

Powow put on a laboratory coat, and stepped into the decontamination mat. The magically charmed insects then climbed out of the mat, and started crawling all over Powow, and cleaning and eating up various microbes. After about five minutes, the process was done. Powow stepped into the lab.

 

“Coffee, black please.” Domovoi said, without looking up from his writing.

 

Powow sighed. He was resigned to his boss’s eccentricities. He stepped into the well-stocked pantry, and took a mug and filled it with coffee powder. He noticed that there was already a cup on the counter. Domovoi had already intended to make coffee, but was too impatient to fill it in with hot water. Powow filled in the cup with hot water, and left it on Domovoi’s desk.

 

“Sir, I had wanted to ask you about what you had in mind for me to do in the next few months.” Powow piped up, sipping his coffee. He took a seat on a tall chair that Domovoi had made for him so that they would be able to work together easier.

 

Domovoi’s back was turned to Powow. He continued muttering to himself, and writing on the boards.

 

Powow reached into his pocket, and produced one of the papers that Domovoi had requested to be sent to the blacksmith. It was a simple drawing that Jonathan didn’t need. At the top of it, it read: “Mechanical Labour Assistant.”

 

Domovoi eventually stopped writing, and he turned his chair toward Powow and the work desk.

 

He sipped the black coffee happily, before switching his gaze to Powow.

 

“Can you SEE this? I’m at the cusp of something BIG.” Domovoi gestured wildly towards the blackboards. 

 

Powow took out the piece of paper. He then locked eyes with Domovoi. There was something clearly wrong that he would want to question Domovoi about. 

 

Domovoi just kept his eyes on the goblin. The goblin’s ears seemed to prick up, and his eyes seemed to be tearing up, as if there was something bothering him. Could it be the hounds attacking him yesterday, during the reconnaissance mission?

 

“Is there something wrong?” Domovoi asked Powow. He put his chalk down, and the coffee mug down.

 

“Sir, what is the purpose of the armour you are intending to build?” Powow asked carefully, as if there were something gravely wrong with the armour.

 

“Simple, it is to be controlled by either a pilot, or a controller from the outside. It is going to be able to lift heavy objects, and overall be able to power up the strength of its user.” Domovoi explained. He then pulled a blackboard from across the room with magic, and attempted to start sketching.

 

Powow merely kicked the blackboard onto the floor angrily.

 

“I notice you didn’t use the words ‘human’ or ‘goblin’ anywhere in there.” Powow said dangerously.

 

Domovoi suddenly understood where the anger had suddenly come from. The realisation kicked into place. His friend had been offended that Domovoi would be willing to replace the goblins.

 

Goblins had ancestrally been counted on for physical labour. They had often been overlooked by the rest of the races of Allia as mere ‘dumb as rocks labour mules’. It had been a surprise to the King Alaric, when Domovoi decided to take on Powow as his assistant. Powow was a rare goblin, capable of understanding the basic theories of thermodynamics. Powow had been the laboratory annex’s janitor, until Domovoi found Powow standing on a chair, solving an equation that had been stumping Domovoi for a good week.

They became fast friends, but Powow had still insisted on calling him ‘Master’ and ‘Sir’.

 

“Powow,” Domovoi said slowly and carefully, in a effort to calm him companion. “I am not intending to replace the goblins as a labour force. I am intending to help you.’

 

“That’s what your ancestors said. That’s what Alaric said. That’s what EVERYONE ever says to the goblins. ‘We intend to help the goblins’.” Powow was distressed. His eyes focused, as he didn’t break eye contact with Domovoi.

 

“Powow. Even if I had intended to replace the Goblins, I would always make sure that your people will be relevant to me. If they are miners, then I will make sure that they learn how to use a drill. If they are janitors, then I will make sure that they will be able to use the latest technologies to clean more efficiently.”

 

“You will never replace a goblin’s job?”

 

“I will make sure that the goblins will always live comfortably.”

 

Domovoi then drew the outline of the armour.

 

“This armour will be a prototype, and I will ensure that it will never go into the wrong hands.”

 

Powow then offered his hand.

 

“Swear on it.” He whispered. A handshake was almost holy to a goblin, and it was the highest honour to pledge an oath with a handshake.

 

Domovoi offered his hand, and shook Powow’s hand.

 

Powow rushed to pick up the blackboard he had kicked to the floor. He seemed abashed.

 

“I’m sorry, Master.” He said.

 

Domovoi waved it off.

 

“It’s alright, Powow. I can understand.” 

 

Powow then proceeded to the boards, and he read the equations, along with the drawings. He couldn’t make out the runes on the right of the board, but he understood the equations on the left-they were all calculations made with regards to drag and air resistance. They were all similar to the experiment that Domovoi had done on a bird, by counting the wing span and weight of the bird.

 

Powow then scrutinised the drawing of the ship. There was a tiny drawing of a bird beside it, with its wings fully spread out. The ship had similar proportions, as if Domovoi was imitating the movements and mechanisms of a bird flapping its wings.

 

Domovoi stood in the corner, waiting for his assistant to point out something wrong.

 

“This all looks amazing, Sir,” Powow noted. “Except…how do you intend to make this? I thought we had proven that steel was a tad too heavy for this project, with the Wings Incident?”

 

Domovoi winced. The Steel Wings Incident, it got famous press in the town, and he didn’t want to repeat that. He then proceeded to throw a small cube of metal on his desk, towards Powow.

 

The goblin caught it, and then inspected the cube. It was felt cool to the touch, and it felt much lighter than it looked.

 

“This changes everything about the dream of flight, my dear goblin assistant.” Domovoi said.

 

Powow then inspected the cube, and tapped it with a pen. It made a ‘clink’ akin to steel, but much louder. It was a lot less dense than steel.

 

“This was found in the mines of Northern Boltheim. I haven’t named it yet, but I have tested it,” Domovoi explained. “It is more durable than iron or steel, it is lighter than steel and twice as hard. I tested it against impact, heat and cold, and it reacted favourably.”

 

There was a catch, and Powow could sense it.

 

“A metal this useful and strong. Why hasn’t anyone else started using it for armour or what have you?” Powow pointed out.

 

Domovoi gestured Powow to the testing room, and put him behind the blast shields. Domovoi then started to splash water onto the metal cube. It then sparked and shot sparks of lightning.

 

“It’s extremely hard to work with. I can forge it, definitely, but then it would start sparking and shooting at the forger,” Domovoi explained. “I cannot place someone in danger, unless I find a way to forge and cool it without water.”

 

Powow then thought about the clouds.

 

“Not only that, I take it? You would have to find a way to make it so that the machine doesn’t flight too high, or is able to withstand water exposure from clouds and rain.”

 

Domovoi nodded, impressed that Powow could pick that up.

 

They then sat at the work-table, thinking about the problem at hand.

 

“Sir, I think I have an idea.” Powow got up, and fetched a pair of rubber gloves. He then put the cube of metal into the gloves. He then sealed the gloves. Domovoi then splashed water onto it. There weren’t any sparks.

 

“…I can’t believe I overlooked the simplest solution.” Domovoi placed a palm on his forehead. It was a simple solution, that he had completely overlooked.

 

“Forging it would be easy with Rubber lined gloves, on top of the usual thick heat-resistant gloves. Stop the heat and electricity flowing, and we would have a way to forge.” Powow pointed out.

 

“I think I’ll go work on a working model of this Ornithopter.” Domovoi said.

 

“That’s going to be its name?” Powow smiled.

 

“Of course. Quite literally a metal bird. Why not?” 

 

Powow grinned to himself.

 

“What would you do without me, Sir?” Powow mused.

 

__________________

 

It had been eons, since Santelia last lived on the material plane of Allia. She walked among the clouds, and she wondered how the descendants of the Holyshields have been. Did they expand? Did they invent like how Dominic or Auralia?

She then waved the thought away from her head. It was an extremely un-Angelic thing to do, to reminisce.

 

She opened up a small observation window. She conjured it with a small bubble of magical aura, and she saw a man who looked like she would know him.

 

“That’s Domovoi Bolt.” A voice suddenly said. She turned, shocked. It was Archangel Rapheal, he was the leader of the Council of Angels.

 

Santelia bowed down. He then waved his hands, a signal for her to rise.

 

“I am sorry, I was not expecting to bear audience to your wise words, Archangel.” Santelia said. She was flustered.

 

“It is not a problem, Santelia of the Unyielding Force.” He looked at her kindly. Santelia knew that this wasn’t just a social call. Her feathers stood on end. She was nervous to be in the company of someone so holy.

 

“How may I be of assistance, Archangel?”

 

“I need you to observe Prince Domovoi Bolt, of the kingdom of Boltheim.”

 

“Is there a reason?”

 

“We believe him to be…an exceptionally strong wizard.”

 

Magic was something not to be given to mortals, or given rarely. Santelia understood immediately. It was a gift easily abused. It was a gift that one of her friends had once abused. It was a gift that she wouldn’t forget.

She was one of the few angels able to retain their memories upon ascension.

 

And she would be damned if she let another person abuse it the way Dominic did, all those years ago.

 

She saluted Rapheal, and left for Boltheim.

 

_________


	3. Chapter 3-At First Sight

The armor stood like a statue in Domovoi’s workshop. It was a behemoth, about twice the height and size of an adult human. Its weight however, was much less than one would expect. It was constructed mostly of titanium, and steel. 

There was a seat in its centre, where a pilot would be. The pilot would then be able to look out through the helmet, with his arms in the armour’s arms. There was some machinery at work for the legs and arms, controlled by a system of pulleys and gears. These ideas were considered rudimentary, but still rather modern in the long run of things. Domovoi himself had pushed the limits of what pulleys and gears could do, and the behemoth of metal standing in front of him, was testament to that.

 

“I thought we had it ordered three days ago…” Domovoi whispered. He was awestruck at how fast Jonathan Bec had worked to have the suit of armour up and running.

 

Powow merely nodded. It was clear that he was surprised as well. He had been woken up early this morning by the master blacksmith himself, and had been carting the pieces of armour over to the workshop with him. Whenever Jonathan was questioned, he merely shrugged it off.

 

“Any chance we could get him in here? I am really curious about how he managed to do it. Work as intricate as this, would take ANYONE at _least_ a week.” Domovoi said. 

 

Powow then shook his head.

 

“He said that he is not to be woken up by anything, not even by King or country.” Powow said slowly. Something was wrong about it, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

 

“Was there anything WRONG with him?” Domovoi questioned. There was bound to be something at work. He immediately suspected that Jonathan was charmed. 

 

“Not that I could see, sir. He seemed perfectly fine when we were talking.” 

 

Domovoi sighed. It was good to have his inventions in the flesh so quickly and efficiently, but it had worried him. Working the anvil was hard work, and making sure the gears and pulleys worked was even more so. He resolved to thank Jonathan personally the next time he saw him.

 

Domovoi then climbed into the armour. It seemed to work well. Each of the parts worked independently from each other. If the arms were to move, the rotations and movements would work on the level of the individual armour piece. The craftsmanship was impeccable.

 

“But sir. As it is now, the armour is merely a hard to move armour on stilts, isn’t it?” Powow pointed out. He had wondered if Dom had a plan.

 

Domovoi nodded, then he grinned widely. There was something more to it, there always was. A smile slowly formed on Powow’s face-he had understood.

 

Domovoi got out of the machine, and removed the arm. The arm was considerably lighter than conventional steel armour. He then put it on the work desk. Powow watched him, sitting atop the laboratory stool, observing every move that Domovoi made.

 

“See, Powow- remember Ragnarok and Justice?” Domovoi explained. He gestured towards the Sword and Shield he had put on the wall. He was still unsure what to do with it-it seemed too dangerous to lend to anyone. 

 

Powow nodded. He remembered it all too well.

 

“If I repeat that spell on a suit of armour, I daresay that there would be a way to move it easier, or to have it give strength to the user.”

 

“There’s bound to be downside, isn’t there, master?” Powow questioned. Magic always had a downside. It wasn’t an infinite number of wishes. There were rules to it, and there were laws of magic in place. 

 

Domovoi pondered. There was supposed to be a downside to enchanting Ragnarok and Justice, but he hadn’t noticed anything yet. It had worried him; magic had always given him headaches whenever he cast too many spells for the day. He hadn’t had them yet.

 

“For the most part, Powow, I think that it would be okay.” Domovoi said cheerily. He didn’t want Powow to worry. 

 

Powow scrunched his face, and rolled his ears inwardly. He was uneasy about it, but there was no protest. He was slowly getting curious at what Domovoi had in mind. Powow then went behind one of the blast shields. He then gestured for Dom to continue.

 

Domovoi then closed his eyes, and immediately opened them again. He saw runes, and he saw them everywhere. He slowly chanted words, words of power. He drew an invisible circle around the arm of the armour with his finger.

 

“I call for the spirit of this armour piece,” Domovoi said loudly.

 

The arm of armour glowed a shade of purple, rising slowly. Domovoi heard the cackling of voices. He opened his eyes, and noticed Powow couldn’t hear them. He was wondering why he could hear them. This hadn’t happened when he was enchanting the sword and shield.

 

The spell was cast, the light dissipated slowly, as the armour descended from its levitation.

 

Powow slowly walked out of the blast shield, and approached the work table.

 

“Did it work?” Powow asked.

 

Domovoi shrugged. He then took the piece of armour in his hands. The instant that he did, he heard a shrill scream. He flinched from it briefly.

He crumpled onto the floor, and let go of the armour piece. It cluttered onto the ground with a loud ‘clank’.

 

“What’s wrong??” Powow asked Domovoi, helping the inventor up to his feet.

 

Domovoi shook his head and smiled.

 

“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong.” He said weakly.

 

Powow looked into Domovoi’s eyes. He saw a lie, but he didn’t pursue it. He trusted Domovoi, even when something was obviously wrong. What Domovoi was suffering from was probably just magical feedback, the downside.

 

Domovoi then picked the armour piece up. He then put it onto his right arm.

 

“You sure it isn’t dangerous, sir?” Powow asked. 

 

Domovoi nodded silently. He tested the movement of fingers, and he tried moving around with the armour. It looked slightly comical, being bulkier and longer than his actual arm.

 

“It works perfectly!” Domovoi whooped with laughter. 

 

Domovoi then tried lifting a couple bricks with the armour piece. He then attempted to punch a blast shield-magically enhanced to withstand the power of atomic bombs.* (*Not that those have been invented yet or anything, Domovoi had theorised the science of atomic bombs, and calculated them into the building of the blast shields.)

 

The blast shield shattered into shards. 

 

Domovoi was flabbergasted. He honestly couldn’t figure out how it happened. He turned his head slowly to Powow. Powow’s eyes were wide open, and his ears stood up to their maximum.

 

“Theory?” Domovoi asked Powow.

 

“A, the armour is truly _THAT_ strong,” Powow whispered in awe.

 

“B, it has some kind of magic-nullifying effect.” Domovoi completed. Domovoi was excited. He didn’t show it on his face much, but the prospects of an armour like that was intimidating. There was so much that his father would do with this armour, had he found out what the prospects were. None of those prospects would be agreeable to Dom.

 

Domovoi replaced the armour piece to the armour, and stepped back. He felt lightheaded. The magic that went into that arm took a lot out of him, for some reason. He had little magic left. 

 

“Powow, Champagne is in order, don’t you think?” Domovoi said. He was excited to have another triumph. Especially in the world of invention, these things counted. He grabbed his coat, and made for the door.

 

“Wait!” Powow stopped him.

 

Domovoi then did an about turn. It was rare for Powow to be assertive. Powow beckoned him to another work desk. There was something under a cloth, a lump about the size of two fists under it.

 

Powow then pulled the cloth away. A small model of the flying machine they had talked about a couple of days ago sat on the table.

 

Domovoi looked at it, and he smiled. It was truly a well made model of the ‘Ornithopter’, the proportions were exactly to Domovoi’s specifications, even the wingspan. They were crafted from the small cube of metal, and the wings were made with a large, thin layer of elven made cloth. Thin, but extremely strong.

 

Domovoi hugged his goblin companion ecstatically.

 

“You did this on your own??” Domovoi exclaimed in surprise. He was ecstatic. He had intended to make a model on his own later today.

 

Powow nodded happily.

 

“The only thing missing, would be you, sir. I can’t make it fly on my own.” 

 

Domovoi nodded. He then picked up the model ornithopter, and sparked it with a bit of magic. He then gestured his hands, pulling his fingers into a fist slowly. The ornithopter then started flapping around the room with his command. It flapped slowly, as if it were a bird. The wings brought it from end to end of the laboratory, nearly knocking over a few bottles on the shelf. 

 

It glided in the air slowly, almost as if it were a real bird. Its beak shimmered with a glint of gold.

 

“Powow, what would you name it?” Domovoi asked the goblin, their eyes both on the model ornithopter, looking at its movement in the air. Graceful as that of swans.

 

“Me, sir?” The goblin looked at his friend curiously. 

 

Domovoi nodded.

 

“You deserve to name it, Powow. You deserve an honour like that.” Said Domovoi.

 

“Well sir. I think it should be called the ‘Phoenix’.” The goblin replied humbly. 

 

It was fitting. The bird that would rise from the ashes, and be reborn. The bird that would keep going even from the fiery pyre of death.

 

They left together, out the door of the laboratory. They were both genuinely ecstatic at their progress, and no one could take away that triumph.

 

_______________

 

Artemis walked in the crowd; weaved really. She had been used to crowds like these, every time she started a riot with her people. She had to be used to crowds, if she were to start a small militia underground. 

 

There were food stalls around the place, from all over Allia. There were Elven foodstuffs and clothes, popular among the other races. There were fishing tools made out of strong seaweed, accessible only to the merfolk, and there was a a merman manning it, with a respiratory mask invented by Prince Domovoi.

 

Artemis scoffed at the little inventions from the Prodigal Prince. She had always thought of his inventions as frivolous rubbish, meant to solve problems that there were nearly non-existent. The solar panels on top of the roofs of the rich were interesting in theory, but unneeded. She wondered what he was inventing for. What was it for? Did he have a reason for any of it?

 

Prince Domovoi was the man who would be King. Heir Apparent to the throne of Boltheim, and his inventions were a force to be reckoned with.

 

She then wondered about her plan to kill the current King Alaric. Would it do any good, if a tyrant much stronger would replace him anyway.

 

She stepped into the local tavern, and ordered a mug of mead. The bartender obliged.

 

“On the house, missy!” He said cheerily, pouring the mead from a tap, no doubt invented and implemented by the Prince. She then took a seat at an unoccupied booth. She sipped her mead slowly, enjoying her mead.

 

It had been a good harvest, and the villagers were all cheering merrily and happily. Artemis mused to herself. She wondered if any of them were truly aware of the evils of the King Alaric Bolt. She wondered why they were so happy.

 

She observed a buxom barmaid serving the customers. They were all joyful and celebrant. Most of them were farmers, happy with the harvest of wheat, rice and barley. They were all helped in their harvests by Domovoi’s harvesting machines, or by his special farming tools. She couldn’t help but feel mixed up.

 

She looked out the window. The parade was about to start, with members of the Royal Paladins patrolling around the place. She noticed a blonde girl in the holy paladin armour. Artemis was taken aback. She wasn’t sure that Prince Joshua would have allowed a girl into the Royal Paladins. It seemed surprisingly modern-minded of him, to give a girl an equal chance at being a Paladin.

 

She observed her walking around. There was a fight happening between a human and a couple of elves. The female paladin stepped in and immediately broke them up, and arrested them. Artemis was impressed.

 

Artemis walked out of the bar, and she saw that the stations for the different carts and floats and exhibits to be in the parade.

 

She saw a gigantic dinosaur being led into a large tent by an elven man. It looked ferocious, but was tame as a dog. Its owner led it with a leash.

 

She walked up to pet it. The owner smiled and let her.

 

“What’s it called?” She asked the owner, wondering if it were a descendant of some sort of ancient Dragon.

 

“Scientifically or nominally?” The elf replied with an air of scientific precision. Though they were mostly a magical race, the elves took to science as quickly as a plant absorbed water.

 

“Both?” Artemis questioned.

 

“Well, this old fella’s a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Found near the Goblin Mountains, fringing the Great Plains. His name is Fluffles.” 

 

Artemis noticed the teeth on the dinosaur. They were razor sharp, and were the shape of daggers. They looked designed to rip apart flesh.

 

“Is he carnivorous?” She questioned.

 

“Theoretically, yes he is. Problem is, he seems to be alone in the Great Plains. The herbivorous dinosaurs raised him to eat leaves.”

 

She pet the dinosaur. The feathers on its head were fine and gave the illusion of fur, though its back was covered in scales.   She then hugged Fluffles’s head. The dinosaur licked her happily, and gave a low gurgle.

 

“What do we have here?” A voice called out. It had a tone of confidence.

 

Artemis looked up. She saw a face that she couldn’t mistake for anyone else-it was the Prince Domovoi.

 

The elf went down on one knee. Artemis then followed suit, out of respect. 

 

“My liege, we’ve met before.” The elf said, coming out of genuflection. 

 

Domovoi’s face then turned into genuine recognition.

 

“So we have, Frederic Friedabrood.” Domovoi bowed lightly, then gave a light hug to the elf.

 

Artemis stood up. Her eyes met Domovoi’s, the eye contact was warm. She felt warm in his presence, unlike anyone else she had ever met. 

 

He extended a hand. Artemis extended hers, for a handshake.

 

“I am Artemis, my liege.” She greeted the Prince. She was pleasantly surprised at the serendipity of her own curiosity. It had led her to meet the highest in the land.

 

He was looking deeply into her eyes. She wondered if there was something on her face, or something wrong. 

 

“Is there something wrong, your majesty?” She asked Domovoi.

 

“Oh, no, no. Nothing wrong at all,” Domovoi replied, abashed. “Your eyes are a beautiful shade of azure.”

 

Artemis blushed lightly. The Prodigal Prince was a charmer, she thought.

 

______________________

 

Santelia, The Unyielding Force was in the clouds. The human festival of harvests was one of the few times that she could move about visibly in the clouds and appear to the mortals without consequences. Angels were meant to stay high up in the clouds, to avoid as much contact with the many different mortals of Allia. There was a rather strict non-interference decree that has been in place for centuries. There was a time when mortals and angels were more allies than neighbours.

 

She wondered if that time would be coming again soon. She wondered if the high council would let mistakes happen just because of their non-interference rule.

 

She observed the heir apparent, the Prodigal Prince. Prince Domovoi. He had been roaming the festival with his goblin assistant, and they had been drinking mead and making merry with the townsfolk. She wondered if they had just finished with one of their tests.

 

She couldn’t help but notice the uncanny resemblance of the Prince to her late friend. Also a prince, from an era long gone.

 

She had observed the growth of humans, and the many generations succeeding that of her friends. There always had been many family resemblances to her departed friends, but none as scarily uncanny as Prince Domovoi to Dominic.

 

She shook off the nostalgia. She had a job to do, and that job was to see what the potential of the young prince was. Could he be the cause of the next great battle? Could he be the one to start everything again? 

 

She wondered why there was a lingering aura around the Prince. It was purple, and it was tinged with the dark scent of powers Dominic had once used. She couldn’t help but feel worry. Were the wheels already in motion for a repeat of those events? 

 

She trained her crossbow’s sights onto the giant of a dinosaur. She then fired.

 

_____________________

 

“GRAAAAAAAAAAWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR” The dinosaur roared. Frederic, Domovoi, Artemis and Powow were all startled.

 

The Tyrannosaurus Rex then started rampaging about. Its tail swung at the tent, demolishing it in one fell swoop. 

 

“Fluffles! Calm down!” Frederic shouted at the dinosaur, to no avail.

 

Domovoi attempted to cast a mind control spell. The spell fizzled near instantly. He didn’t have enough magic left to simply control the monster. Domovoi had enough left for minor cantrips-spells with minor effects, like basic telekinesis. 

 

The dinosaur then picked up Artemis with its arm. Artemis thrashed about, but she was trapped in the hold of the gargantuan. Fluffles kept roaring.

 

“PRINCE DOMOVOI. HELP ME.” Artemis screamed. She was frightened beyond belief. She had been in many scrapes, but this topped it off- ‘Being kidnapped by a giant lizard’. She thought of everything else in the world that could scare her, but nothing seemed scarier than a powerful colossus like this.

 

Joshua and a couple of paladins rush in, in an attempt to get the dinosaur to calm down. Fluffles then used its tail to whip them away into a pile of crates. Joshua recovered quickly, and went to check on the men that were toppled into the crates. They were wearing armour, so they weren’t too banged up.

 

Domovoi hid behind another pile of crates, beckoning to Joshua to join him. Joshua quickly scurried over, convinced that his brother could ultimately help him in this situation. Joshua trusted in Domovoi’s ingenuity.

 

“Why didn’t you just cast some of your magical mumbo jumbo?” Joshua asked, hurriedly. 

 

“Take a guess.” Domovoi replied sarcastically. Joshua looked at him blankly. It was unlike Domovoi to run out of magic so quickly.

 

They both observed the beast, thrashing about in the marketplace, upsetting many different stalls. They both knew that the longer they took to come up with a plan,the more chance of a severe casualty count. Domovoi begrudgingly accepted that Alaric had a point in this.

 

“What DO you have?” Joshua questioned quickly. Every second counted, and he wasn’t going to waste time with a magic-less magician.

 

“I have my cantrips. I have enough lower-powered spells to help. I need to be close enough to knock the beast out with a sleep spell, but I need to touch it.”

 

Joshua looked at Domovoi, considering this option. His eyes then moved to Domovoi’s belt, noticing an absence of a weapon or device.

 

“I’d have assumed you would at least BRING that sword.” Joshua stared at Domovoi incredulously. He was surprised at Domovoi’s lack of preparedness.

 

“Which sword??” Domovoi looked confused. 

 

Domovoi then read Joshua’s face.

 

“Oh, THAT sword.”

 

Joshua looked at Domovoi intently. He had already thought of a plan, but he was almost certain that Domovoi would hate it. 

 

“No.” Domovoi replied firmly.

 

“Why?! It’s just a giant lizard destroying our town.” Joshua exclaimed. Joshua was losing his patience with Domovoi’s stance of non-violence.

 

“Because it’s not just a ‘giant lizard’, Josh. It’s someone’s pet. Would you kill someone’s pet?” Domovoi stared at Joshua.

 

“If they were DESTROYING A TOWN, maybe YES.” Joshua said exasperatedly. 

 

“Listen. Just distract it enough for me to get in there to touch it. I need three seconds.” Domovoi replied urgently.

 

Joshua nodded. They then jumped out from under the crate. The dinosaur was still rampaging, knocking over stall after stall, tent after tent.

 

Joshua then drew his shield, and charged straight at its legs. The giant lizard was startled. It fell over to its side, causing a huge crash. Domovoi then rushed in, with his spell at the ready. He then touched the lizard, casting a quick sleep spell. The dinosaur then fell into a deep sleep.

 

Domovoi helped Artemis out of the dinosaur’s grip. She then collapsed onto the ground in shock, her legs were jelly. Domovoi then held Artemis for a second, before leaving her with the medical team.

 

The villagers were about to cheer, before both Domovoi and Joshua signaled for silence. They understood immediately, upon seeing the body of the dinosaur.

 

Domovoi and Joshua then examined the body of the dinosaur. It was asleep, but it looked pained.

 

Both brothers slowly circled and examined the dinosaur in every direction. Until Domovoi noticed a crossbow bolt on its back.

 

Domovoi exchanged a look with Joshua. It seemed like an ordinary bolt.

 

Domovoi then used his hands again, casting different cantrips with each hand. He prepared a healing touch on his left hand, with his right hand using a telekinetic spell to pull out the crossbow bolt. He then touched the puncture wound with his left hand, instantly regenerating and healing the wound. The scales then grew back, thicker where the wound was.

 

The giant lizard was still sleeping. 

 

“We need to keep it in the castle.” Domovoi told Joshua.

 

“Are you KIDDING? That would be insane!” Joshua was convinced that his brother had finally gone mad.

 

“Nah. I have an enclosure in my wing. Get Powow to show you.” Domovoi reassured Joshua. Domovoi then looked at Powow. The goblin nodded, and followed at Joshua’s knee.

 

Joshua ordered some villagers to get a huge cart to wheel it back to the castle. The Royal Paladins proceeded to continue patrolling. Domovoi noticed that a blonde-haired female paladin was helping the villagers fix their tents and stalls. He was wrong in judging Joshua. He did make some decent hiring choices, finally breaking an old tradition.

 

Artemis was still with the healers, but she didn’t care. She rushed out of the healer’s tents, and went to the Prince Domovoi, who was still shellshocked by the whole affair.

 

“Prince, I know this would be too forward from a peasant like me, but would you be so kind as to oblige to a meal with me?” She said sweetly. She was feeling extremely grateful. It was good to know that Prince Domovoi was truly as heroic as this.

 

Domovoi was taken aback. He had never been asked out like this before-though considering his royalty and the way he had been raised away from most people, he wasn’t surprised.

 

“Yes. I think we could.” Domovoi said. He didn’t understand why he was blushing in front of this maiden, with hair blacker than the night, and eyes bluer than the skies. He didn’t know how to put into words, how nervous he was. He had just tackled on a gigantic monster, yet he was more shaken up by sudden confrontation by a girl.

 

“Good. Prince Domovoi, I shall meet you at the local tavern tomorrow night after the sunsets.” Said Artemis. She couldn’t think of anywhere else right off the bat.

 

“Please, drop the ‘Prince’.” Domovoi said awkwardly.

 

Artemis then hugged Domovoi tightly. She felt safe for a second, in his embrace, almost as if the whole world could collapse, and she would feel safe. She didn’t understand why she felt that way. She had just been insulting him in her mind a while ago.

 

“Thank you, Domovoi-bomb.” Artemis said. She was happy. She was as happy as a bird in the sky, flapping its wings happily at finding a source of insects, and she didn’t know why her mind made up such an elaborate metaphor.

 

She then left, leaving Domovoi standing there in the middle of a festival, pondering the meaning of ‘Domovoi-bomb’. Domovoi was smiling, a different smile from his usual ‘eureka’ smile. He felt something he hadn’t in a while-thanks from another being.

 

________________

 

Santelia was curious at how the situation had played out. She didn’t think that the other Prince of Boltheim would have showed up when he did. She didn’t think that there would have been TWO throwbacks to the past. Princes Adam and Dominic, and Princes Domovoi and Joshua.

 

Both sets of brothers were close as could be, and they were an amazing team of a knight and magician. The knight able to hold off physical threats as the magician cast his spells.

 

Santelia smiled.

 

She smiled to herself, as she observed them. She wondered if Raphael had another reason for her observation of the Prince Domovoi.

There could be a storm coming up for the Bolt Brothers, for the Kingdom of Boltheim, for all of Allia.

 

Though she thought about the teamwork between the brothers.

 

How bad could it get?

 

_______________


	4. Chapter 4-Creativity Builds Fear

Joshua Bolt had been apprehensive for a long time about what his elder brother did in his workshop and laboratory. He had been known in the Royal Paladins as ‘the Intuition’, for a long time in the force when he was in-training. It had started as an affectionate nickname, before it became a title of respect when he managed to single-handedly arrest a small squadron of halve ‘freedom fighters’.

 

He walked slowly, clad in his armour of white and silver. He then walked into the Research and Development block-Domovoi’s territory. The bridge built between the block and the main castle was unlike anything he had ever seen before, and it awed Joshua everytime he walked on it. Built of steel and glass, Joshua marveled at the innovation.

 

“What is this sorcery?” Joshua wondered aloud. 

 

“Well, the master’s sorcery,” Powow piped up in reply. Powow seemed to be in a good mood, grinning as he looked at the younger prince.

 

Joshua looked at his legs. He noticed the minute goblin at his feet, at just about waist level. 

 

“I’m sorry, Powow, I didn’t notice you there.”

 

“’Tis no problem, sir Joshua,” Powow shook his head and smiled.

 

The two of them then looked out the bridge’s glass windows. They observed the Tyrannosaurus Rex from the events of the previous day, playing a game of ‘fetch’ with its owner, Frederic Friedabrood. There was a palpable silence between goblin and warrior, but it was a good, brief period of such. Powow and Joshua had a mutual respect for each other that was deeper than one might expect.

 

Joshua understood that Powow had been the first assistant in years, that had received Domovoi’s utmost trust, and with it came innovations and creativity. Powow had been left in charge of maintenance and operations all by his lonesome, a feat of trust coming from Domovoi.

Powow respected Joshua for his management of men. It was usually Powow doing the fixing of equipment given to members of Joshua’s team.

 

“How is the T.Rex?” Joshua asked.

 

 His tone was polite, a trait that Powow appreciated very much. Goblins respected warriors of a clan. Goblins respected polite mannerisms. That was why most goblin clans would have a female shaman representing the calm, cool and rational aspect of decisions, and a male war chieftain representing the ferocious power of the goblins. Joshua was a human equivalent of both.

 

“Extremely well, your majesty.”

 

Joshua nodded, and observed the gargantuan dinosaur attempt to chew its owner’s arm off.

 

An automated tea cart then arrived with a steaming hot teapot. Powow offered some to Joshua. Joshua nodded and accepted the tea graciously.

 

“Where’s the master of house?” Joshua queried the goblin, sipping on his cup of tea slowly.

 

Frederic then hit the dinosaur on the nose, being dragged by the giant of a lizard around the enclosure.

 

“…Liliana’s.” The goblin said ominously, almost as if the word had been about a bad incident.

 

Joshua nodded. Liliana Gear was their grandmother, and also Domovoi’s teacher of magic. She was also an extremely strict teacher. Loving, but extremely strict.

 

“…Should I help the elf out?” 

 

“Give it a few minutes,” Powow smiled.

 

_________________________

 

“For the _MILLIONTH_ time, Domovoi Bolt, _WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT KNOWING YOUR LIMITS?_ ” the druid shrieked at the young prince. Liliana Gear was not someone to mess with, and she was absolutely furious upon hearing the news regarding the incident at the Harvest Festival.

 

She lived in a small hut in the east of Boltheim, and she lived alone. Her home was small, but well kept. There was a small library in the basement, filled with tomes upon tomes of magical reference books, autobiographies of humans, and even some autobiographies of elves(new issues would be written every half a decade, or even every year, if the particular elf was an active one.). Liliana would cook and chat with her friends in the elven lands, or the merfolkian seas through the magic mirror mounted in the living room.

She was Domovoi’s teacher, and also kept his powers in check until he was ready to utilise them. That has been the way it worked for magicians, wizards and sorcerers. They were to be guided by a wiser and more learned mentor. Their powers would then be sealed away by a seal that made sure that every spell the student cast was limited by their own pace of learning. This ensured that no student would abuse their power until they were trusted enough by their master.

 

Domovoi could not do a thing past kneel in front of her at the fireplace, magically handcuffed to a chair. The chair was weighted down by magically enhanced metal. The old lady then struck him on the head with her staff, also magically enhanced to be slightly heavier than usual. Her staff was one made of elderwood, with a jewel embedded into the top of it. There were runes ornately carved into it, runes for spells and incantations and instructions that Domovoi could never make out in time, before she would move it away from his gaze.

 

“…I’m sorry, grandma,” Domovoi said simply. He had been on the chair for a good three hours, and his arms and legs were getting sore. He knew that he had pushed his limits with the armour enchantment he did yesterday. If he had full power yesterday, he would have been able to stop the dinosaur much easier. It had been near-suicidal of him to enter the city without much magic.

 

Liliana Gear was still a bit angry at her grandson. The items around the house were vibrating with her fury. They vibrated and reacted to her emotional state.

 

“Explain yourself,” she said, tapping her staff on the handcuffs, and the chair.

 

Domovoi rubbed his wrists tenderly. There were rope burns on them. He then tried to spark some magic into them to heal. His grandmother hit him on the head again, interrupting his spell.

 

“Keep those burns,” She ordered.

 

“I have a date tonight!” He explained.

 

“Well, then you best wear a nice watch to cover the burns, innit?” his grandmother smirked.

 

Domovoi was nervous. He was wearing a nice shirt and pants, and he ditched his usual attire consisting of his white laboratory coat. 

 

The wizened old hag looked at Domovoi. She was surprised at her grandson’s sudden interest in a girl. He had always been stuck in his lab, or at least ever since the passing of his mother. She wondered if he still blamed himself for her death.

 

Domovoi then brought out the sword and shield from his bag. He then placed it on the table. The shield was nearly twice the size of the satchel. Domovoi had done a basic conjuration to allow for the bag to hold items many times the size of it. The shield and sword shone the reflection of the sun, coming in from the window.

 

Liliana recognised the sword and shield. They were famous relics of the Boltheim royal family-Ragnarok, and Justice the sword and shield used by King Adam of the Holyshields. They were a far cry from the dusty and corroded relics that she had remembered. She looked deep into the magical aura radiating from the weaponry. She noticed a purple tinge to the otherwise yellow aura. 

 

She then looked at Domovoi’s aura, and she noticed the same purple tinge. She couldn’t help but to be slightly concerned.

 

“What’s this?” she examined the weaponry, smiling.

 

“Good day, dear lady,” The shield replied in its cheerful voice. Andris had awoken.

 

Liliana dropped the shield in shock. The shield then propelled itself with small jets of air, onto the table.

 

“Is this another Artificial Intelligence experiment, Dombo?” she asked Domovoi, recovering from her shock of having a shield talk back to her.

 

“No, gramps. Can’t you see? It’s a simple enchantment spell!” Domovoi explained. She took the sword in her hands, and examined its scabbard, and then drew it slowly, and examined the blade. It was impossibly fine, and almost as if it had just been forged and sharpened. The blade was clearly enchanted with a sharpness spell of some sort, but there was no explanation for there having a spirit within it.

 

This was no enchantment spell.

 

“What spell did you use, Domovoi?” she asked, trying to hide the quivering in her voice.

 

“Simple. I called for the spirit within the blade.”

 

“What was the drawback?”

 

“Oddly enough, there wasn’t one!”

 

She contemplated the blade and shield slowly, with delicacy. There was something about this spell that reeked a scary aura to it. When a spell didn’t have a drawback, it either had a small effect, or an extremely large one. Drawbacks ranged from headaches, or head colds, or persistent coughing for a week or two. Usually, at least.

 

“Then why were you so drained, that you weren’t able to stop a simple brutish lizard?” 

 

“Well, I’ve been working on an extremely large armour meant for heavy lifting, and it has been taking up a lot of my magic.” Domovoi related. He was describing the giant armour he had, back in the laboratory. He had named it ‘Project GOLEM’, after the legends of the golems.

 

Liliana grinned a weak grin, and she continued to listen to Domovoi relate the stories about how he had been creating the armour.

 

“Shouldn’t it be time you left to meet this girl?”

 

Domovoi checked the clock. He nodded and smiled. He hugged her tightly. He moved to get the shield and sword, but Liliana gestured for him to leave it. Domovoi nodded and smiled gratefully, and slung the bag around him.

 

“You treat her good, you hear?” Liliana said, as he kissed her cheek.

 

“Yes nana…” Domovoi replied, smiling.

 

He headed for the door, buzzing with a happy aura about him. When the door clicked shut, Liliana drew the curtains, locked the doors and headed to her magic mirror. 

 

_________________

 

Domovoi walked into the tavern dressed smartly in a nice formal shirt usually reserved for royal parties. Everyone in the tavern stopped whatever they were doing, be it drinking, feasting or playing darts. The music stopped, and Domovoi stood at the entrance silently.

 

The whole bar then went crazy with happiness. They started cheering for the ‘Prodigal Prince’.

 

“Prince Domovoi!” The bartender cried. He seemed genuinely happy to see Domovoi. Domovoi was a public figure, famous for improving crop yields by almost 200% in the past year with his special fertiliser.

 

Domovoi then awkwardly waved everyone, as they stood on the chairs chering for him. He then signaled for silence.

 

“Thank you everyone, really!” Domovoi tried to calm the crowd down, to no avail. “I’m just here to meet a friend!”

 

“Your meal’s on the house, good sir. Goddesses of Allia bless you.” The bartender bellowed in his voice, deep and cheerful.

 

“No, really. Please don’t do that bartender, you have a family to feed!” Domovoi replied exasperatedly. He had always felt uneasy about public appearances, considering that he had one of the highest popularities of the royal family of Boltheim.

 

“DOM!” the voice of a young maiden called out, breaking the cacophony of cheers. Artemis signaled him over. Domovoi awkwardly walked toward her to the booth. She looked as beautiful as he had remembered from the day before. Her hair was blacker than anything he had ever seen, and her eyes were bluer and brighter than the summer sky. She had worn a nice burgundy blouse and a purple skirt, and a bright blood-red hairband on her hair.

 

The cheering was slowly breaking up, and the patrons started talking amongst themselves again, and playing darts. The guitarist continued playing and singing, this time about the Gods and Goddesses of Allia blessing the Bolt family. Artemis hopped out of the booth and hugged Domovoi tightly. Domovoi felt awkward, but accepted the hug. The hug was warm, as if Artemis were greeting an old friend. Domovoi smiled brightly. 

 

Artemis called for a waiter to came over to their booth.

 

“Heya, Artie!” The waiter greeted Artemis warmly, before switching tone. The waiter looked to be about thirteen years of age, he was probably the innkeeper’s son.

 

“Good to see you, Skip,” Artemis smiled. 

 

“You sure keep high company, miz Artemis!” the waiter said.

 

“I suppose I do now, Skip. What’re the specials?” 

 

“We have a nice fresh fish we just managed to get this afternoon from the merfolk, a good marlin.”

 

Artemis glanced at Domovoi. He seemed rather to be in much higher spirits.

 

“What say you, ‘Prodigal Prince’?” She joked. 

 

“I say, go for it. That sounds amazing.” Domovoi replied. He was taking in the sights and sounds of the tavern, looking around at the decor.

 

“We’ll have two of the Marlin fillet then, Skip.” Artemis confirmed.

 

“Alright then, miz Artemis.” Skip made an about turn to the kitchen.

 

Artemis then looked at Domovoi.

 

“So, DomovoiBomb. I’m surprised you would even make it!” She commented. She had been unsure that the Prince of the Land would even bother coming to meet her.

 

“Why is that so?” Domovoi replied, confused. 

 

“You’re the Prince! The Crown Prince! I’m just a person you rescued.” Artemis said. She was surprised that it baffled him.

 

Domovoi shifted uncomfortably. He was unused to visiting taverns, or dining outside of the castle. He enjoyed Artemis’s company. She radiated an aura of goodness, of comfort. He felt warm on the inside, a way he hadn’t felt for a long time. It felt like he was eating warm, creamy chicken soup, and just talking to Joshua and Mama whilst watching the waves. He had missed the vacations that his Mother would bring Joshua and him on, to the cliff-top castle at the very edge of Boltheim, to the west. 

 

“Well, I found time.” Domovoi replied simply.

 

“So, what are you working on, Dombomb?” She smiled widely.

 

Domovoi wondered about ‘Dombomb’. He gave an awkward smile.

 

“Why Dombomb?” He asked.

 

“Well, you’re Prince Domovoi, and you were the bomb yesterday!” 

 

Domovoi just looked at her blankly. She grinned mischievously.

 

“Anyway. I’m working on a suit of armour.”

 

Domovoi gone on and explained how he had been working on Project GOLEM. He explained how the suits were meant to help Goblins with constructive work, because of the potential to lift weights much heavier than that the Goblins would be able to without the help of much other equipment, and the possibility to have less casualties in case of cave-ins because the golems would be able to move without assistance whatsoever by remote.

 

“Wait. Can’t it be used for purposes that they weren’t meant to?” Artemis pointed out. 

 

“How so?”

 

“Look at it this way- the eastern humans made dynamite many years ago as a way to mine easier, to blow up chunks of rock quicker and easier. Then a bright spark decided that dynamite could do way more than just explode rock. Then we have muskets to explode pellets of metal into other beings.”

 

Domovoi thought about it. Artemis had a point.

 

“Precisely why I kept it under a special charm. It reacts only to me, or people that I have allowed to use it.”

 

“Charms are not foolproof.” Artemis said quietly.

 

Domovoi knew that too well. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt, as if she had kicked him in the gut. It showed on his face-a pained expression. Artemis noticed this.

 

“Dom?” 

 

Domovoi took a few deep breaths. He then calmed down.

 

“Ignore me, I’m fine.” 

 

Artemis decided to take his words to heart. Skip returned with the fish, pan-grilled to perfection. There was a side of mash, and some fresh vegetables.

 

“Enjoy, Prince Domovoi, and Miz Artemis.” He smiled, putting a plate in front of both the Prodigal Prince and Artemis, and left. Domovoi looked up, and took a knife and fork into his hands.

 

“I’m sorry, Artemis.” Domovoi apologised. He felt embarrassed about his sudden shutting down.

 

Artemis looked at him sympathetically. 

 

“It’s our first date, Dombomb. It’s okay, really.” She reassured him. She then held his hand lightly in hers.

 

For the first time, Domovoi felt truly at ease. He smiled, and dug into the marlin.

 

________________________________

 

“What do you think, Rawrwa?” Liliana asked of her goblin friend in the mirror. She held up the sword and shield that Domovoi had left behind.

 

The old lady, with more white hairs than grey held onto her staff tightly. Her deep brown eyes were filled with worry and fear. Her wrinkled face was in a state of sadness. She had contacted her old friend, Rawrwa the goblin shamaness.

 

The goblin shamaness scrutinised the magical feedback that Liliana had transmitted via magical communication and divination. She shook her head. The results that came back from the usual divining techniques could not be faked in any way. 

 

“Will I be okay, Liliana?” Andris asked, from the sword and shield.

 

She nodded. The room had been suddenly filled with open tomes and encyclopedias of spells on all the tables. Each and every one turned to pages and chapters with regards to necromancy, the magic of reanimation and death.

 

“I promised that I wouldn’t harm you, Andris. I am just uncertain on what spell that Domovoi did on this.”

 

The goblin shamaness Rawrwa then looked at the mirror. 

 

“There is no other way for it to be anything but Necromancy.” Rawrwa said quietly.

 

Liliana looked at her friend in the eye. 

 

“That simply cannot be. How could Domo know how to do a spell like that? He is an extremely good man.” Liliana asked Rawrwa.

 

“Well, that is my verdict, Lily. The feedback that you gave to me, can be nothing but Necromancy. That combined with the fact that all the books I have on my side check out with Andris Shieldbearer being the bodyguard of the Holyshield family.”

 

“Then does it mean that the end times are upon us?”

 

The two exchanged a look. They both knew what it meant. The goblin shamaness proceeded to pour out a good amount of wine into a goblet, and drank deeply. 

 

“What did the others say? Fayern? Meylin?” Rawrwa asked. Perhaps the other diviners and priestesses would be able to help.

 

Liliana shook her head.

 

“Rawrwa, you know better than I do. The others are not diviners to your caliber. I had called them before coming to you, hoping that somehow, the magical feedback was fooling all our senses.” Said Liliana. She sounded extremely worried, and for good reason.

 

It was clear that the situation was scaring Liliana, bringing her to tears. 

 

“Lily. Do you remember the first lesson about magic?” Rawrwa said, as soothingly as she could muster.

 

She looked up to the Goblin, clad in her ceremonial headwear.

 

“‘Lesson 1: Magic is about more than just the spells cast. Each person can cast whatever spell that they choose, they are simply responsible for what they cast.’” 

 

“Are you trying to say that Necromancy isn’t as evil as we are usually led to believe?” Liliana asked her goblin friend.

 

Rawrwa nodded.

 

“I’m almost certain that your grandson is a good man, regardless of the spells that he casts,” Rawrwa explained.

 

“I say that much is true,” The voice of Andris piped out from Ragnarok. 

 

Rawrwa grinned.

 

Liliana gripped her magical staff tightly, the cool wood of the staff warmed with her touch. 

 

“Thank you, Rawrwa.” She smiled. 

 

“Anytime, Lily. Anytime you want.” Rawrwa nodded.

 

The mirror clouded up, and cleared up into a normal mirror again.

 

_______________________

 

“ _AND SO, THE GREAT PRINCE ADAM HOLYSHIELD, HAD TO STOP HIS BROTHER, DOMINIC._ ” The narrator bellowed into the magically enhanced megaphone. The actors moved on the stage fluidly, and an actor with shockingly-red hair drew a sword theatrically and posed on stage, with magical sparks, fire and lightning all over him.

 

Domovoi and Artemis had gone to a local theatre for a live show-“ _The Triumph of Prince Adam over the evil Necromancer Dominic!_ ”. It was based on an ancient story about Prince Adam Holyshield stopping his brother with the assistance of his younger siblings. 

 

“ _THE NECROMANCER DOMINIC THEN LOST HIS WAY, AS THE COURT WIZARD AND DIVINER. HE LET THE POWER GET TO HIM, HIS IMMENSE MAGICAL POWER,”_ The narrator continued. The actor came out dressed in a cheesy outfit with a demon-horned helm and long flowing robes.

 

“I think this show’s rather cheesy!” Artemis whispered to Domovoi.

 

“I know, but it’s a good tale. A bit cliché though!” Domovoi smiled. 

 

The two exchanged a look between themselves, and they chuckled. A patron then looked back at them, and hushed them.

 

“ _PRINCE DOMINIC THEN GOT TAKEN OVER BY THE DEMON DIABOLOS,”_ A man in a rubber suit came out to represent Diabolos. “ _AND GOT THROWN INTO THE VOID BETWEEN THE WORLDS, AND WAS NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN.”_

 

The actors then depicted a clash between the demon Diabolos and Prince Adam. Prince Adam then threw both Prince Dominic and Diabolos into a magical portal, probably made by a wizard backstage, and the show ends.

 

The audience clapped with a round of applause. Domovoi and Artemis exited the theatre.

 

“How was it?” Domovoi asked Artemis.

 

Artemis looked at him.

 

“Horrible.”

 

Domovoi then broke out laughing.

 

“I know.”

 

Artemis then poked Domovoi.

 

“Then that’s how you impress a girl? Take them to a historically inaccurate retelling of an ancient tale?” Artemis scowled mockingly.

 

“Nah, I was just trying to see if you got the silly jokes about that show.” Domovoi replied. He had a grin of glee on his face.

 

The both of them walked along the streets of Northern Boltheim, walking into one of the city parks. They found a nice spot to sit at, under a tree. They both sat down.

 

“That’s a beautiful moon.” Artemis commented, not breaking out of looking at Domovoi.

 

The moon hung in the sky, full and milky white. The stars were sparkling their light. The sky was black, cloudless and clear.

 

“It is.” 

 

Artemis then broke out of the trance of looking at the moon. She stared at the Prodigal Prince.

 

“What is it?” Domovoi locked his eyes on the girl in front of him.

 

“I just didn’t think that I would be sitting here with the Crown Prince.” 

 

Artemis smiled. Her smile was something unlike anything else that Domovoi had ever seen before. Domovoi’s heart melted and danced in the sky with that smile. 

 

“What, I’m just a man in a simple land. I was just born with a silver spoon in my mouth,” Domovoi replied.

 

“And you’ve done wonders with it,” Artemis commented. “Though some of your works end up being a lot more frivolous than they need to be.”

 

“Frivolous??” Domovoi gave a look of mock shock. Artemis laughed loudly at his expression.Her laugh had a ring of warmth and happiness to it.

 

“Don’t take it personally, Dombomb. Some hits, some misses.” 

 

Artemis hugged Domovoi.

 

“Thank you, Dombomb.” Artemis said. The expression of happiness, and the hug came as a quick burst of emotion.

 

She was grateful to him for saving her from the dinosaur attack yesterday. She held onto him, silently. Domovoi then pat her on the head affectionately.

 

They both got up from their spots under the tree. Artemis hugged Domovoi. She then kissed him on the cheek.

 

“Will I see you again?”

 

“Well Dombomb, you have magic. Contact me some time.” 

 

Artemis winked, and she walked away, leaving Domovoi with a silly smile and a noticeable blush on his face.

 

____________________

 

Powow hammered away at the armour, testing the tactile power. The steel hammer did nothing to damage the armour. The helmet looked vaguely draconic. It looked rather scary.

 

Powow didn’t have to really be in the laboratory tonight. Domovoi had told him that it would be alright to leave the laboratory alone. 

Powow had ignored the man. He was dressed in a labcoat, holding onto the hammer built for human-sized hands. It was almost comical in his hands. It was nearly half his size.

 

Powow then heard Domovoi walk into the lab. It was the middle of the night, and he was still dressed in his dinner clothes.

 

“Good evening, sir.” Powow greeted the whooping Prince.

 

Domovoi was jumping about, inspecting the armour, and the other equipment. Domovoi then checked the armour test checklist. Powow had been hitting it with all sorts of things to see what would cause a dent into it.

 

“Any luck?” Domovoi asked, unbuttoning his shirt.

 

“Narp. Not at all, save for the scratch we managed to make with Boltheimium” Powow replied, as he bounced off the armour with a strike on the armour.

 

Domovoi looked up at the armour, as he stood in the lab, shirtless.

 

“You should rest, old friend.” Domovoi commented, noticing the sweat on the goblin’s brow.

 

“Yes…maybe I should.” Powow replied. He then removed his lab-coat, moving towards the exit.

 

Powow then stopped, and looked at Domovoi. Domovoi had already turned his attention back to the armour.

 

“Sir…I had wanted to ask you. Can I use the underground tunnel?” 

 

Domovoi turned to Powow.

 

“What’s it for?” Domovoi was curious. Powow rarely made requests. The underground tunnel had been abandoned for nearly half a decade, after Domovoi requested it be excavated. It led to a whole network of tunnels under Boltheim, and part of it had been relegated to sewage tunnels. A lot of it was untouched, and clean as a whistle. 

 

“I wish to conduct an experiment.”

 

Powow looked intently at the young Prince. There was a very slim chance that Domovoi would agree, but it was worth the shot anyway. Domovoi considered it for a minute.

 

“…Yes. Go ahead.” He agreed.

 

“Really sir?” Powow asked.

 

Domovoi nodded.

 

“You’ve done so much for me, Powow. I trust you, my friend.”

 

Powow hopped happily out of the laboratory. He knew that there was no other employer or friend who would trust a goblin like that.

 

_____________________

 


	5. Chapter 5-Good is not Nice

King Alaric Bolt sat on his throne, as his servants and advisors brought him reports and files about everything happening in Allia. He received updates sent to him by his various spies in the different kingdoms of Allia, with the exception of the Angels and the Halves.

 

He was commended on many counts with the way he handled his sons and their varying endeavors. The Elves commended him near constantly for allowing so much of the budget to go to Domovoi’s research and development, citing a clear support for the innovation of magical and scientific fields. The Goblins commended him at every diplomatic meeting for letting Joshua’s team of Paladins get custom equipment fitting to their abilities every year.

In actuality, Joshua’s Royal Paladins got custom equipment from Domovoi whenever he felt like it. Alaric Bolt had near nothing to do with said collaborations. It was all his sons and their doing, and he couldn’t be prouder as a father.

 

Then came a new report about the Halves of Boltheim moving to do a demonstration. They were being lead by a woman, named ‘Artemis’. There was no picture attached. No clear enough picture, at least. 

 

There had to be something done about them sooner or later. They were disrupting the peace with their protests. Silly demonstrations and riots, in the hopes that they would be given the rights that they deserve.

 

Not everyone alive deserves the right to live, he thought to himself. Especially not people like these who start frivolous, fruity little clubs like these.

 

He wondered to himself if what he caught in the iron maiden was worth all the effort it took. He headed to the dungeons.

 

______________________________

 

“So, how do these arms move?” Domovoi hollered to the goblin below. He attempted to move the arms of the Golem, and it worked perfectly. It responded to more or less the speed and responsiveness of his own arms, though he had wanted a literal outside opinion. 

 

“Looks good, sir!” Powow replied.

 

Domovoi then proceeded to try moving the legs of the Golem. It didn’t work. The Golem had stiffness problems, and they would usually be solved by a bit of Magic. Domovoi then pumped some magic into the legs. There wasn’t a problem with the Golem yet, save for the distinctive lack of a power source. Currently, every time there was a test run, it would be Domovoi providing the source of power-the magic. It struck Domovoi as odd. Enchantments usually don’t need a magical power source after they get cast. 

Enchantments wore off over time, definitely. Except that if Domovoi himself didn’t pilot the Golem, it would only last a total of five minutes before the power wore off.

 

Domovoi then walked across the testing room and back, before shutting it down. It had taken quite a lot out of him. He felt the magic within him slowly being sucked into the Golem.

 

Domovoi then got himself out of the Golem. He was sweating profusely. He signaled to Powow to get him a bottle of water.

 

“Are you okay, sir?” Powow asked. He hurriedly fetched the bottle and passed it to the physically weakened sorcerer.

 

Domovoi nodded.

 

“That machine takes out a lot from the user.” He said in reply. He was seated on the floor, cross legged. Powow sat down next to him, as they both looked up in awe of what they had managed to accomplish. The Golem was handsome, and it stood up at around twice of a human’s height. It was amazing that they managed to complete it, or at least reach this level of completion in the span of a month.

 

Artemis and Domovoi had been seeing each other every few days, and Domovoi had been perfecting the armour by himself, as Powow worked on his own mystery experiment. Domovoi didn’t think to probe, respecting the Goblin’s privacy.

 

The door bell rang with a loud cling. The visitor had rung the bell a bit harder than the usual. This was someone familiar with the Prince. Powow and Domovoi looked at each other. They then silently rolled a rock-paper-scissors game. Powow lost.

 

Powow then proceeded to the door, and opened it. It was King Alaric. He walked into the metal workshop with Joshua, ignoring the decontamination magic.

 

Domovoi didn’t get off the floor, now lying on his side.

 

“Father.” Domovoi greeted, digging his nose and generally acting as uncouth as possible. He made no secret of his disapproval of his father’s rule.

 

“Son.”

 

Alaric then took a good luck at the metal Golem. He walked around in, inspecting it at every angle. Joshua remained in the corner, but also kept his eyes on the armour. He seemed genuinely fascinated by it. He never failed to be surprised by Domovoi.

 

“So, this is the armour you were working on, Dom?” Alaric examined the armour.

 

“Sir, I’ll just excuse myself?” Powow asked of Domovoi.

 

Domovoi nodded, before turning his attention back to Alaric. He then got to his feet, deciding to let Alaric have a bit of information. He hated it, but he knew that he still depended on the coffers of gold that he had to conduct experiments without worry.

 

He then looked Alaric in the eye.

 

“Yes, Father. This is project Golem, a magically augmented suit of armour twice the size of a regular human being…” Domovoi explained. He then took out a small metal box, on which there were runes all over it. He then pushed a button, and the Golem moved its leg forward.

 

“It just moved on its own,” Alaric said. 

 

Joshua continued listening in, as he noticed the intricate design. No doubt the work of Jonathan Bec, he thought.

 

Domovoi then nodded silently. If it was one good thing about Father, it was that he was easily impressed.

 

“It is specially designed to do everything that a labourer is meant to do, but only much stronger.” Domovoi then tried to press a button again, but the Golem had shut down. The magic stored in it had drained away.

 

“What’s happening?” Alaric asked, as the Golem sparked all over.

 

“That’s the flaw. It requires a considerable amount of magic, and even I don’t have enough to run it for more than five minutes at a time.” Domovoi explained.

 

Alaric then paused for a moment, thinking. Domovoi was curious as to what his father was suddenly thinking about. Perhaps it had been time for him to ignore his differences with his father. He might be useful for once.

 

“Would a Hallowed Sphere work?” Alaric asked. Domovoi was suspicious for a moment, before remembering that his father had traveled the lands as a young prince. Perhaps he managed to get ahold of a Hallowed Sphere.

 

Hallowed Spheres are crystals found in the Angelic territories, that is to say, the summit of Mt.Cloud. Hallowed Spheres can only formed by Angels or by the presence of one. Domovoi took a moment to ponder if a Hallowed Sphere would work. The crystals are filled to the brim with extremely strong magical energy, and it would work as a constant source of energy for the Golem. The only problem Domovoi could think of would be the time limit of a Hallowed Sphere. Even a large one.

 

“Yes. A particularly large Hallowed Sphere would work.” Domovoi replied. He had been impressed that his father had managed to bring up the one power source he had pushed to the back of his head, mainly because of the expense of the material.

 

“Hold that thought.” Alaric said, putting a finger up to gesture ‘give me a minute’. He then left the workshop, leaving Joshua and Domovoi alone for a moment.

 

Domovoi then turned, and looked at his younger brother, clad in his armour of white and silver. His hair, as black as their father’s.

 

“So, why’re you here, brother?” Domovoi asked. It was obvious that Joshua hadn’t come into the block with father to act as his bodyguard.

 

Joshua smiled. Domovoi knew better than him that if he were to come into his workshop, it wasn’t just for a social visit. There were criminals at large to catch, and a castle to patrol, afterall.

 

“Well, I need something to stop magical criminals from casting magic. Just for a moment.” Joshua explained his predicament. Being a swordsman, it would be extremely dangerous to be in combat with a magician or a wizard without a way to stop them.

 

Domovoi then pointed at Joshua’s sword. It had special anti-magical properties, and it was built as a set with a shield. The sword was able to act as a conductor of magic, allowing Joshua to interrupt a spell being cast. The shield was able to shield anyone from the effects of magic, if the sword failed to conduct the magic spell, then Joshua could hide under the shield. The shield would also work as a magic dissipator, if the sword conducted a spell, dissipating the magic into a small force impact in whatever direction it wanted.

 

It had been one of Domovoi’s favourites, and knowing his little brother used the sword and shield on a regular basis made him happy. It had been a harsh reality to know that his brother had responsibilities-responsibilities that put him into danger regularly. By making the sword and shield, Domovoi could watch over Joshua whenever he wanted, in a way.

 

“I had assumed that you would have managed to handle all that with your blade and shield, my brother.” Domovoi said. 

 

Joshua nodded, patting his scabbard. 

 

“Except that what if I fight a wizard able to counter all that? The much stronger types. The ones able to disarm me, or able to physically wrest the sword and shield out of my hands?” Joshua asked. He had gotten into a scrape, and he realised that the average petty criminal have slowly learnt more and more about his custom sword and shield. 

 

Domovoi then walked to one of his invention shelves, and took down a small spherical thing. It had a handle on it, and there were warning labels painted on it. 

 

He then threw it over to Joshua. Joshua caught it with a single hand, and examined it. 

 

“What is it?” Joshua asked. He then saw that one of the labels read, ‘do not throw unless, well, throwing at the enemy’. Classic Domovoi style warning label. Joshua then gave Domovoi a look. Domovoi smirked at his younger brother.

 

“This is an anti-magical grenade. It works on the same principle as a bomb, but instead of igniting it, you just pull the activation trigger,” Domovoi explained. “Pull the trigger and throw, and all the magic in the vicinity fizzles. Any and all spells cast or being cast are instantly nullified for about one to five minutes.”

 

Joshua nodded, and pocketed it.

 

“That would be extremely useful, thank you brother,” Joshua thanked Domovoi. They hugged, and Domovoi smiled.

 

“Just remember that the grenade is a one-off. I don’t have any more. Use it only when you really have to.”  

 

Joshua then walked out of the workshop, passing his father. Alaric returned to the workshop with a handsomely made mahogany box, about the size of a human hand.

 

Alaric then put a finger on Domovoi’s lips, as he opened the box to reveal a bright light within. The light then dissipated slowly, and revealed a crystal of the utmost purity. It was round, and it looked like a flawlessly made ball of glass. Domovoi then took it from its resting nest of velvet. He felt the weight and density of the Hallowed Sphere. He could sense the amount of magic radiating from the Sphere. His own magical energy restored itself to his maximum.

 

Domovoi then moved the finger from his lips. He looked to Alaric in respect for the first time in years, he then hugged his father.

 

Alaric smiled a smile, a grimace. He had designs on the Golem. He had a plan.

 

____________________

 

Alaric walked into the jailhouse of the dungeons, located a small distance away from Castle Boltheim.  Alaric walked slowly into the dungeons, made of cold stone and steel. The dungeons were filled with many spies and agents of the other races. There were numerous different wings and paths, containing different prisoners from all over Allia.

 

Alaric was known to be the Imprisoning King. The King most renowned to imprisoning war criminals, spies, thieves and murderers. It wasn’t always a bad reputation. He felt that he kept the peace. He did keep the peace, though heavy handed.

Domovoi had always disapproved of his rule, and it had strained their relationship.

 

It didn’t matter. Alaric was King, and a king had responsibilities for his people, for his greater good.

 

He then turned to the right wing- the anti-magical cells. They were cells built to contain magic-users. He walked down the path, as he saw men and women, snarling at him. Some of them screamed for redemption, how they were not in there with good reason. Some begging for mercy, others swearing that his blood would be on their plate soon. There were elves, and humans. There were even goblins and halves. Others were chanting magical chants, Words of Power, meant to break them out of this hellish prison, to no avail. The anti-magic field that had been placed on the premises extended to the entirety of the wing of cells.

 

Alaric stopped before a cell. There was an elf, who looked like a thirty year-old human. He had hair of the wood elves, blacker than the night. His ears were pointed, and he had marks on his skin. He merely sat there, cross legged. Alaric stared at him for a minute, before the man stood up and tried to speak Words of Power.

 

“ ** _I command you,”_ ** The elf tried to charm Alaric. It didn’t work. Alaric laughed in the face of the elf, who looked desperate. He pounded the ground in frustration.

 

The elf then tried to reach through the bars of his cell, trying to get a hold of Alaric Bolt. Alaric simply stared, nonchalantly and coldly into the Elves eyes.

 

He then clicked his fingers. A guard came in and passed him the prisoner’s record. 

 

Alaric opened the folder, and read briefly the profile.

 

“You’re a man of war,” Alaric said. 

 

“Not just war, human. I’m a man of death,” The elf replied, in a deep baritone. 

 

“Then why haven’t your people saved you? It would be a simple matter of paperwork, wouldn’t it?” The human king commented. He knew very well why the Elves couldn’t save this man.

 

“You know very well why my people couldn’t save me, scum,”

 

“Calling people names isn’t very polite now, is it?” Alaric sneered.

 

The elf stared at Alaric with seething rage. Alaric ignored him, and continued to read the report.

 

“What are you here for?” The elf spat.

 

“Well, _Shiv_ , I came to ask for a deal,” Alaric said slowly.

 

The elf merely stared at him silently.

 

“That IS your name, isn’t it? ‘Shiv’?” Alaric reread the report again, just to make sure.

 

“What’s it to you?” said Shiv. He decided to hear the man out.

 

“I have a Halve problem.” Alaric said calmly.

 

____________________________

 

Domovoi installed the Hallowed Sphere into the Golem. It seemed to react almost perfectly, the entirety of the augmented armour glowed a bright white light, flooding the entirety of the workshop in it, before reaching a certain equilibrium. 

 

He decided to take it out for a test run. He got into the armour, and tested everything. It all worked perfectly, even better than previously, and he didn’t feel drained whatsoever. The Hallowed Sphere was doing its job, and a lot better than he expected.

 

Domovoi then heard a screech, a bloodthirsty scream in his ear, except that it wasn’t an auditory screech. It simply screamed into his mind. He decided to wave it off as magical feedback. Domovoi then moved the armour to the tunnels under the workshop, trudging and moving until he found an opening. Powow had blocked off the first opening, so he decided to go for the third one. 

Domovoi then cast a flight spell. He directed the spell to the back of the armour, making the armour sprout ethereal wings. They shone in the bright sunlight.

 

He flew over the city, and he saw the people point up to the sky, mistaking him for a bird or a pterodactyl. He didn’t care. He wouldn’t trade this feeling for anything else in the world. He wouldn’t stop wanting to fly.

 

He flew around Boltheim, enjoying the sights, and sounds. He then flew to a forest, and attempted to uproot a tree. It worked perfectly. The armour did everything that it was built for, and more.

 

Domovoi’s flight spells didn’t last as long as it did without the armour. He noted that it might have been the effect of the Hallowed Sphere.

 

He heard a commotion nearby. He looked around, and realised that he was in the southern district of Boltheim. He flew back up into the sky, and from a birds-eye view, he saw what was causing it. There was a standoff between a group of rioters, and a group of soldiers, led by the all-too-familiar glint of the paladin’s white armour. Domovoi landed right in between the soldiers and rioters. 

 

The rioters were in an apartment building, and the soldiers were across the street, planning on how to get the suspects. Upon seeing the armour, the soldiers drew their swords. For good reason, considering that the armour looked like it was of enemy origin.

 

“DID I SHOUT THE COMMAND ‘DRAW SWORD’?” A voice rang out. The paladin then removed their helmet, revealing a head full of long blonde hair. 

 

She then drew her sword, pointing it at the armour.

 

“Identify yourself!”

 

Joshua came in and stood in between Domovoi and the blonde paladin. He then told her politely to sheathe her sword.

 

“Brother,” Joshua looked up to the helmet. 

 

Domovoi then proceeded to remove the helmet, and held it in his left arm.

 

“Feisty soldier you have there, Joshy,” Domovoi chuckled, gesturing to the blonde paladin. She scowled at Domovoi, then went down on bended knee. The troops behind her did the same.

 

“She’s a prodigy. One of the finest female recruits I’ve ever had, really,” Joshua replied.

 

Domovoi directed his gaze at the young recruit. 

 

“Rise, blonde one,” 

 

She rose from her position.

 

“My name is Diane Rosewood, your majesty,” she said. She bowed in respect to Domovoi. Domovoi did the same, as a gesture of good faith.

 

“So, what is the situation, Joshy?”

 

“Remember the rioters? The Halve rioters?”

 

Domovoi remembered it all too well. He had argued with his father numerous times to attempt to change his stance. 

 

“Yes, yes I do. What about them?”

 

“Well, apparently, some of them were sighted here. Father wanted to crack down hard on them.”

 

Domovoi just stared at his younger brother in utmost shock.

 

“Are you flipping serious?” he said flatly. He couldn’t believe that his younger brother would stoop so low as to follow their father’s orders so clearly.

 

“I am but a Paladin of Boltheim. I have to follow orders, even if my elder brother might disagree with them,” Joshua spat. 

 

“Tell you something, _brother_ , I’ll go in and stop these protestors,” Domovoi said firmly. There was no stopping him.

 

“It is my mission.”

 

“They are my people. This is a residential apartment building, and you intend to storm it just to arrest a few bleeding rioters.”

 

“No…” 

 

“I’m going in,” repeated Domovoi.

 

“What do you MEAN you’ll _go in_ and stop these protestors?! This is my mission, and your bloody machine thing isn’t even fully armed!” protested Joshua.

 

Domovoi then conjured up a sword in the armour’s hands.

 

“It is now.” 

 

He smiled at Joshua, and replaced the helmet on his head, running into the building.

 

Joshua turned to Lieutenant Diane.

 

“Give him ten minutes, and if he isn’t out, storm the building.”

 

___________________

 

The building was only two to three stories high, and though it was a tight squeeze for the Golem, it worked sufficiently well in such close quarters.

 

He opened each door forcibly, only managing to find human families, obviously terrified and huddled together. Domovoi would take off his helmet to apologise profusely, promising them that he would personally fix their doors once this affair was over with. They would nod silently in shock.

 

Domovoi saw a figure running, on the first floor. He then gave chase, managing to chase her into a room, empty and sparsely furnished, save for a bed and a cupboard. It was small and cramped, and was more of a cupboard than a bedroom. 

 

It was Artemis.

 

“DO YOUR BEST, IMPERIAL SCUM!” she screamed, hitting the armour with a broomstick.

 

Domovoi then lowered his helmet.

 

They stared at each other with a mishmash of emotions. Sadness, anger and happiness. 

 

“You’re…halve?” Domovoi said slowly.

 

“What, are you going to _ARREST_ me for it?” She spat. The tensions were running high between the two of them, and the only reaction she really had was fear. Fear that Domovoi would decide to stop wanting to be her friend.

 

“ **DOMOVOI BOLT, WE WILL STORM THE BUILDING IF YOU DO NOT COME OUT IN THREE MINUTES FOR A REPORT.”**  

 

It was Joshua with a megaphone. 

 

Domovoi couldn’t think straight. He then moved the armour’s arm and pointed it at Artemis. He then cast a spell, allowing her to camouflage herself. He then pointed her into the cupboard, gesturing for her to hide.

 

“I’ll be back.”

 

Domovoi then walked back to the Paladins.

 

“They’re gone,” he reported.

 

“What?! How could that be?!” Joshua shouted. He was livid.

 

Domovoi shrugged.

 

Joshua then gestured for Diane to follow him. They both entered the apartment to do one last search. Domovoi then got out of the armour, and ran after them, his lab-coat billowing behind him, as he ran.

 

They searched all the homes that he did(Domovoi apologised again to the families), and eventually found the small room. Domovoi got his hands ready to cast stun spells, in case Diane and Joshua found Artemis. They flipped the bed over, then checked the cupboard one last time, and they saw nothing.

 

They then swore under their breath. Joshua then glared at Domovoi, and grabbed him by the collar.

 

“Brother, you have cost me the only lead I had to find them.”

 

He then let go, and left with the Lieutenant.

 

Leaving Domovoi in the room.

 

_______________________

 

Artemis sat on the bed, with Domovoi leaning against the door.

 

“So, you’re THAT Artemis? The one that my brother’s after?!” Domovoi said.

 

Artemis smiled and nodded.

 

“Then what’s your full name?”

 

“Artemis Wolfblood. I’m Elven on my Mother’s side, and Human on my Father’s.”

 

They sat there, silent for a moment.

 

“Well Dombomb. If you’re interested in helping out, you can find me in the Northern District tunnels. The ones you excavated but left behind.”

 

Domovoi was surprised. The Halves were using the network of tunnels he had left behind. Though it wasn’t too surprising.

 

“Why are the Halves here, anyway?”

 

“Well, our home was destroyed not too long ago. There’s a workshop there, that works on many different tools of war. They all seem to follow your own inventions and their mechanics.”

 

Domovoi sat there silently. He remembered hearing of the Forests of Wolfsbane being burned down in a gigantic forest fire. He didn’t think that it was his father’s doing. It was located near the Elven territories.

 

“And they all seem to be as strong as that Golem you have there. They’re filled with an insane amount of magic, and we couldn’t figure out how he did it.”

 

Domovoi slowly stared, as the pieces were joining together, the longer he hear her talk.

 

“A giant factory using a magical fuel that is odorless, and didn’t give off any residue into the air, water or earth? A battery filled with magic?” 

 

“And these things are only obtainable from an angel.” Domovoi joined the pieces together. Artemis nodded.

 

Angels were honorable creatures, bound by an ancient law to not mingle with the mortal races. They were never to allow for any one race to have a lead above the others, without prior agreement. 

 

The Angels were also known to send down a sole Angel, once every decade or so. That Angel was meant to visit the lands and bless each of the races. They were to return with a report.

 

“We have reason to believe your dear old Dad might have imprisoned one.”

 

Domovoi sat there, seething with anger.

 

_______________________________

 


	6. Chapter 6-Lawful is not Good.

Santelia observed Domovoi Bolt from afar. She would sit on a nice fluffy cloud, and she would just observe his work in his workshops and labs. She had been observing him enchanting and working on his huge golem-like armour. She wondered where Domovoi had gotten the idea. The Golem reminded her of something similar that Domovoi’s ancestor; her old friend, had made. It disturbed her, slightly. She wondered if Domovoi was aware of the type of magic he was using. She wondered if Dominic thought the same.

 

She couldn’t help but reminisce about him-Dominic Holyshield. She smiled, before it melted away as quickly as it had come. He was ruthless, a ruthless scientist. She was his morality, and she stopped him as much as she could, before it went too far. She thought she was, until he went too far.

 

The realisation of how far Domovoi would go for his magic and science-she wondered if Domovoi Bolt would become a physical, living repetition of events long past. He had so much magical potential, comparable to Dominic Holyshield. Santelia wondered if he had the same cold, calculating attitude.

 

Santelia knew why Raphael had ordered her to observe Domovoi, not just because she was an Angel. Not just because she was one of his people, no.

 

Santelia of the Unyielding Force wasn’t always an Angel. She wasn’t always magically adept, and she would usually muse about the fact that she was one of the oldest Angels left, authorised to explore and fly above Allia like this. She had been sent on numerous missions over the years, and she had seen her loved ones live and die. She was never authorised by the Council to interfere directly in their lives. She was never allowed to see them again, or to manifest in any tangible form to them. 

 

Did it break her heart? 

 

Santelia didn’t know anymore. She would feel a sharp pang in her heart, and the feathers on her wings would shudder for a bit. The feathers would then turn slightly grey to reflect her own emotions, and she would know that deep down she did miss the mortality of it all. Perhaps this was why the Council had enacted the Amnesia Act-Every Angel inducted would now forget everything about their past, with one exception. They would be allowed to keep one memory, and one memory.

 

Santelia understood why. She also understood why she was on this assignment.

 

Deep down inside, she was still human. 

 

The most fatal flaw of any cold, calculating tool of Allia.

 

______________________

Artemis wondered for a moment, whether the enemy of her enemy was really her ally. It was a question she hadn’t asked herself before this, because it hadn’t really come up in her mind- ‘Can I trust Domovoi Bolt?’

 

She kept the nature of her relationship with Domovoi a secret from her Halve friends, lest her comrades thought her to be a traitor. She had kept her heritage a secret from Domovoi. She looked at the plan from Domovoi, sketched on a piece of paper. She wondered if it would truly work. She wondered so many things, and she thought so hard.

 

There was so many reasons why she chose to support her brethren. She used to love being herself, until she ran into problems and issues in school. The Elven children would laugh at how she aged faster than them. The Human children would get unnerved and freak out at how much faster they aged. She never felt like she belonged. She was caught thoroughly in the middle.

 

Artemis then thought back to the evening of revelations. She had told Domovoi of his father’s evil. She had told Domovoi of her heritage. Domovoi was furious. Domovoi was in slight denial.

 

It was an emotional moment between the two. She had wondered if they could truly remain companions.

 

“ _Aren’t you freaked out about my being Half-Elven?_ ” She had asked. 

 

“ _Not at all._ ” Domovoi had replied.

 

Artemis smiled to herself, remembering the conversation. It felt good to be accepted by someone so whole-heartedly. She felt comforted. She was in a restful, peaceful daydream.

 

Her daze was then smashed.

 

She heard some screams and shouts from the outside of her room-the common room, and the core of the Halves base. She immediately jumped into action, instantly thinking of the worst possible fates. She worried for the safety of her comrades, and wondered what could happen to them. She wondered who could have possibly found their hideout.

 

She grabbed a quiver of crossbow bolts, and her sword. She hung her crossbow, holstered to her back, along with her quiver of bolts. She then fastened the sheath of her sword to her left. It was a brilliant sword from Eastern Boltheim, a curved and very maneuverable sword, unlike the great swords used by most soldiers and warriors. The Eastern humans called it a ‘katana’. It was thin, but surprisingly strong. 

 

She kicked open the door of her room, greeted to the startled faces of two soldiers from Castle Boltheim. She hopped into action, punching them straight in the jaw. She then drew her sword, knocking them out with a heavy blow from the flat side of the blade.

 

She then stole their swords and fastened them as securely as she could to her belt.

 

She then walked as quickly as she could, without arousing the suspicion of any invaders. She heard movement from around the corner, crouching and hiding behind it as silently as she could. She saw that she could use the shadows to her advantage.

 

She then peeked around the corner, and saw Clint holding off a Blonde Paladin. She had recognised her-Lieutenant Diane Rosewood. She was a tough nut, and she had been one of the new ‘attendees’ to the Halves Riots. Artemis had the honour of sparring her a few times, buying time for her men to escape.

 

Clint used a staff, fending off Diane’s attacks. Artemis was impressed. The staff was actually the periscope he usually used to check if the coast was clear. Artemis then noticed that Clint had been cut on his arm. It was bleeding profusely, and from his movements, she noticed that he had slowed down-this wasn’t his usual speed of combat.

 

Artemis then drew her sword, charging into the fray, Clint noticed her from the corner of his eye. He simply nodded, as he continued parrying each strike of Diane’s sword.

 

Artemis then prodded the tip of her sword to Diane’s neck.

 

“Drop your weapon, Lieutenant Diane,” said Artemis, her voice filled with anger. 

 

“Ah. Artemis.” 

 

Diane had a smirk on her face, as if she knew something that Artemis didn’t. Clint noticed this, and proceeded to hit the sword out of her hands, with her staff. Diane then started laughing.

 

“What on Allia is so funny?” asked Clint. He was getting irritated by the blonde paladin.

 

“It’s funny how criminals and halves think, that’s all,” said Diane.

 

“I don’t follow.”

 

“Assuming that I’m here alone?”

 

Artemis felt something hit her hard to the back of her neck, and suddenly, all she could see was black.

 

___________________________________

 

“Father, I bring you the Halves involved with the rebellion,” said Joshua, bowed before his father in the throne room. 

 

It was the time of the usual evening report, and Joshua had made it in time. He had just gotten back from the tunnels underground that Artemis and the Halves had been using. He had counted a whole platoon’s worth of about thirty men and women.

 

King Alaric seemed pleased, as he sat on his throne. He had a smile on his face, and a look that was unreadable. Domovoi had a sinking feeling about his father’s expression.

 

Domovoi could only feel the sinking feeling, more and more, as he heard his brother continue his report. He couldn’t believe that Artemis’s force had been captured. Joshua’s Paladins couldn’t have known of the Halves and their hideout. Artemis had told him about their practices, and even given her the position of the hideout in his map of the underground tunnels. Domovoi had specially imprinted the map into his mind, so that no one, save for a particularly strong Telepath could read the information.

 

“Well, what are you waiting for? Bring in the ring leaders of this rebellion force!” said Alaric smugly. He then looked straight into Domovoi’s direction, making eye contact with him for less than a second. Domovoi couldn’t help but feel a shiver down his spine, even if for a brief moment.

 

Something had changed with his father, and he couldn’t figure it out. Never had Alaric’s gaze given Domovoi such a piercing sensation.

 

Joshua nodded at Alaric’s orders, and he left for the dungeons, to bring the Halves into the throne room.

 

King Alaric then looked at Domovoi again. Domovoi felt the sensation down his spine again.

 

“Is everything okay, Domovoi?” asked the King. Domovoi had no reply, save for a nod. The minutes passed at a glacial speed for Domovoi. He physically couldn’t stand staying in the same room as his father.

 

The piercing sensation was getting to him, and he couldn’t understand it.

 

Joshua returned to the throne room with his Lieutenant, Diane. She led about five people into the throne room, all chained up with anti-magic chains, and gagged with a cloth tied to their mouths.

 

Domovoi had never been so horrified to see someone wearing one of his inventions.

 

Artemis and four other people he had never met before were chained up before him, and King Alaric. Artemis merely kept her eyes staring defiantly at King Alaric, as if hoping that somehow, lightning would shoot forth from her eyeballs to zap the corrupt king. King Alaric stared back, smiling smugly the whole time.

 

Her stare was unbroken throughout, and her silence was kept. Joshua and Diane then worked at untying the cloths at their mouths.

 

King Alaric kept his gaze onto each and everyone of the rebellion leaders, and when the last one’s mouth was unbound, he started speaking.

 

“I will give each and everyone of you a chance to plead. A chance to explain your actions, your actions in starting riots ”

 

He then smiled with all the forced kindness in the world, before continuing.

 

 Domovoi had seen this many times, and he even felt the catharsis of such speeches made with the murderers and the serial rapists. He knew that Alaric had no intention whatsoever in allowing any leniency to the rebellion. Domovoi had no intention in allowing his father to execute them.

 

Alaric then pointed to the first one to his left, a half-Goblin man. He was as short as Powow, but had the features of a more human man. The half-goblin man shook his head. Alaric then nodded, always keeping the smile that hid the tranquil fury of the human king. 

 

Alaric then pointed to each person in the line. Each member of the rebellion shook their heads defiantly. They had no words to say to the King. Save for Artemis.

 

She then opened her mouth slowly.

 

“You are not a merciful man by doing this. You are sick one. You want to see us submit,” Said Artemis simply, in a tone as scornful and contemptuous as she could manage. She held onto her pride even in the face of the man who would offer her death without a moment’s hesitation. 

 

“Mercy is for the idiots and the weak,” spat Alaric indignantly. He was getting impatient.

 

“It’s hilarious then, seeing as you’re both,” said Artemis calmly. Even in the face of death, she was not one to back down.

 

Domovoi could do nothing but watch. If he did anything to assist Artemis and her friends now, it could mean that his plans would be revealed. He observed the expression change on his father’s face. He observed the fake cheerfulness change to a silent rage, a scowl at the defiance of the rebels.

 

Alaric Bolt had never been defied this much in front of both his sons before.

 

“Throw them in the dungeons, I’ll make sure that their execution will be as public as their riots and demonstrations and whatever the hell they’ve been doing,” said Alaric. The tone was unmistakeable. He was officially riled up about the whole situation. 

 

He then waved Domovoi and Joshua away to signal that their evening meeting was over. Joshua and Diane then took the prisoners away to the dungeons.

 

Domovoi quietly walked back to his laboratory, saddened that Artemis was now imprisoned, and confused to how she managed to get caught. He decided to talk to her later and explain that he hadn’t given their position away. He wondered if she would believe him.

 

_______________________

 

The dungeons always freaked Domovoi out. The scariest part was that there wasn’t one reason why it scared him. It was all of them.

 

It was dark, cold, and most of the prisoners inside were murderers, kidnappers, rapists or otherwise guilty of heinous crimes. They came from all over Allia, and Domovoi had a creeping feeling about coming in here. He was reluctant to go into the dungeons, but he knew that Artemis’s incarceration was his fault. No one else could have revealed their exact location, and though he consciously could not remember how it happened, he might have been the reason why. He had to try and explain himself to Artemis.

 

Domovoi followed the pathways, to the jail cells for the most recent prisoners. He walked past cells with prisoners hissing and screaming at him. Some of them begged for mercy, and tugged at Domovoi’s heart strings. Others raved like madmen, and Domovoi could not blame them. The dungeons of Castle Boltheim were two parts jail and one part an asylum for criminals. It seemed inhumane of the Bolt family, but Domovoi had previously argued about it being a necessary evil. He wasn’t sure anymore. It was almost wrong to have the King be the judge, jury and executioner. 

 

He walked past the anti-magic wing, to get to where Artemis were.

 

He found Artemis and her rebellion force. Each of the rebellion leaders were separated, each of their cells were soundproof, built with a plastic that Domovoi himself had made. It was also applied with a coating also invented by Domovoi, that allowed for one side of the plastic to be see through, but the other side being pitch dark. The prisoners could not see each other, nor hear each other. They were stuck in solitary confinement. Domovoi had a feeling of dread bubbling in his stomach. He knew that it was a simple matter to drive a person mad with such imprisonment.

 

He found Artemis’s cell. She was sitting on the bed, curled up in fetal position. Domovoi wondered what she was thinking, and what she was feeling. His heart was broken. She must have felt betrayed by him. Domovoi had to try and tell her that it wasn’t his fault.

 

Domovoi then pressed a key against the door to Artemis’s cell, unlocking it. He then slowly opened it and walked into the cell. Artemis paid no mind to him, and she stayed curled up.

 

Domovoi then closed the door behind him, and took the chair from the corner.

 

“Artemis,” he whispered, his voice guilt-ridden and cracking. He honestly had no words to say. 

 

Artemis didn’t respond. Domovoi sat there, staring at her.

 

He then walked to the bed and tried to hold her. Artemis pushed his hands away forcefully. 

 

“Don’t touch me,” said Artemis, angrily. 

 

Domovoi stepped back.

 

“Why did you sell us out? Why did you make me trust you and then betray my trust? What is wrong with you, Domovoi Bolt?” she continued. 

 

“I didn’t!” said Domovoi, trying to defend himself. 

 

“Why are you even here?”

 

“I’m here to tell you of my plan. I’m here to tell you to lay low, and I’ll break you out, because I made you a promise. I will not let you simply die and languish in here.”

 

Artemis got out of her position. She stopped crying, and took a moment to digest what Domovoi had just said. She then took a sip of water from the jug and glass that was provided by the jail. She wiped her tears away with her prison clothes, and sat up.

 

“You’re not going to break anyone else out? Just me?” she said. 

 

Domovoi then nodded.

 

“Why just me?” she asked.

 

“Less risk. We WILL come back for your people, but I need you first, and I need you for this.”

 

Artemis then kept eye contact with Domovoi.

 

“Then how did Joshua Bolt know to find us in the underground tunnels?”

 

Domovoi honestly had no idea. How _did_ his brother know to find the Halves underground? There was no possible way he could have known. 

 

“I don’t know, but I’ll find out,” said Domovoi. He racked his brains, hoping to find an answer, but none came to mind. There was a blank in his mind, for the first time in a while.

 

Artemis was wary of trusting Domovoi. She knew that he was a good man, or she thought she knew. She also knew that thirty other lives were counting on her. Her gaze on Domovoi, her eyes meeting his again.

 

“Dombomb, let’s go,” said Artemis. There was obvious fear in her eyes. There was also a certain excitement in her heart. She knew that Domovoi wouldn’t do it, he wouldn’t betray her intentionally. Her faith was unfettered, not even by this jail cell.

 

She trusted Domovoi, her ‘Dombomb’. She trusted him, even in times of adversity.

 

She pulled him into an embrace. She hugged him tightly, then kissed Domovoi on the lips lightly. 

 

Domovoi smiled.

 

“Artemis, you have my word that I will protect you no matter what,” said Domovoi. Artemis nodded.

 

With renewed hope, Domovoi opened the door, and left.

 

___________________________

 

Liliana Gear was poring over every book about Necromancy. She wondered how she would broach the subject to Domovoi. She knew that her friends were all right. They had advised her to quickly tell Domovoi about his actions, to ensure that he wouldn’t continue with them.

 

She knew that in her gut, Domovoi needed to know. Though she wondered if he was ready to hear the news. She felt the magic tether between her and her grandson weaken. Domovoi’s magic was welling up, building up to a level even she could not have anticipated. She knew that his potential for magic was high, much higher than anyone she had ever met.

 

She took her magical staff, and started casting a spell of Divination. The Staff had much more magic than one might anticipate. She cast a spell to record her thoughts within it. She talked to it clearly, and concisely. She knew that her death was going to be soon, and she stayed graceful. She knew that there was no point in being sad about the inevitability of it.

 

She felt the weakening of her bones and muscles, atrophied from the natural aging of the body. She felt the magical power in her body, to her core;it flowed throughout her body ever since the day she was apprenticed. When she grew a ripe age, she felt it nearly explode. She felt the enormous amount of power she truly wielded, and how she remembered her teachings. She remembered how Magic was more than just magic. Magic was a Gift.

 

Every magic wielder was given a master to hone their control with, and every magic user had a certain level of potential that they would ultimately ever achieve. If a wizard could cast spells up to a theoretical level of ten, then they would eventually be able to reach the peak of ten, and with extra hard work, maybe even reach a level eleven. However, as an apprentice, they would be held back by a tether to their master. They would be held back to a fraction of their potential magic. This was to ensure that apprentices would learn how to control the little spells that they were given.

 

Domovoi Bolt was actually a wizard much stronger than most. His current power was comparable to a strong wizard at their peak.

 

Liliana Gear pored over history books, and each page flipped showed wizards and sorcerers weaker than Domovoi. She feared his power, but she loved her grandson. There wasn’t any benchmark that she could use to begin to comprehend how strong he was. 

 

“Grandma, you there?” she heard his voice call out from the entrance. Speak of the devil, she thought.

 

She flipped her book to the page to Dominic Holyshield, the oldest entry to ‘Historical Magicians of Allia’, before shutting the book. 

 

“Yes my love. I am here in the study,” she hollered in reply.

 

“I need some information on Telepathy,” he said, as he walked into the study. The desk was filled with books upon books. His grandmother must have been testing out a new spell, or researching about something. They were all tomes about necromancy, or historical figures. She wondered if there was a new necromancer on the loose.

 

“What information do you need?” she asked, she had been curious. Telepathy wasn’t known to be a strong type of magic. The premise of Telepathy was most certainly powerful, but most warriors and magicians looking to use it simply honed their senses and intuition instead of putting effort into learning telepathy. Domovoi wasn’t most warriors or magicians. He had surprised her many times over by finding new ways to use previously established magic. 

 

“I need to know what is the extent of a strong Telepath’s magic.”

 

Liliana looked through a few books, and found a passage in “The Magicks of Telepathy”. She read it aloud.

 

“ _Telepaths could read and transmit thoughts between minds. It had been used as a niche way of communication during times of war. There wasn’t much of a limit placed on the abilities of a telepath, given their concentration. Some telepaths could read entire books worth of thoughts and memories from a subject simply by eye contact._ ”

 

Almost instantly, a wave of dread washed onto Domovoi. 

 

__________________________

 

Prince Domovoi was never this fast before in returning home. He immediately went into Joshua’s block, the headquarters of the Royal Paladins. He requested to see Joshua Bolt, and a Paladin obliged, leading him past the training arena, and past the paladin armoury. 

 

Domovoi would usually notice the surroundings and remark at the amount of discipline that Joshua had instilled into the Royal Paladins, but that was for another day. The paladin leading him then knocked on the door of Joshua’s office, a small office overlooking the barracks and training grounds. He then went in to announce the arrival of Domovoi to Joshua. Joshua nodded, and gestured to let Domovoi in.

 

Domovoi closed the door behind him, and took a seat in front of Domovoi’s desk. He remarked at how extensive Joshua’s small shelves of books were, before snapping back into reality. This wasn’t a time to admire his younger brother’s bookshelves.

 

“Joshua.”

 

Joshua poured out a glass of brandy from a bottle on his desk, into two glasses. He then offered one to Domovoi. Domovoi accepted.

 

“Brother,” Joshua greeted. It was a surprise to have Domovoi in his neck of the woods. Even when any of his elite guard needed some maintenance for any of their equipment, he would order them to go visit Domovoi personally.

 

“Where did you get the tip off to find the Halves?” asked Domovoi. There was obviously a sense of urgency in his voice, and Joshua noticed.

 

“I didn’t get a tip off,” said Joshua, pausing to sip his brandy. Domovoi watched at his brother slowly sipping on his drink. 

 

Domovoi could feel his stomach lurching. It all suddenly clicked in his mind. It was as if a miasma of uncertainty had lifted from his thoughts.

 

 He knew where Joshua got the orders and tip off. He knew how he got the exact details and coordinates to find the Halves in the underground. He even knew how Joshua and his men managed to position themselves for a blitzkrieg approach to ambush them.

 

“It was an official order from Father.”

 

______________________________________________ 

 


	7. Chapter 7-Regroup

Domovoi avoided his father whenever possible. He would give excuses to miss meal times, citing reasons like how he had to finish up work in the labs or the workshops. He had been as cautious as possible, but he knew that these different reasons and excuses were merely a short term solution.

It had been rather shrewd, and if he wasn’t against his father, he would have been extremely impressed that Alaric was able to keep the secret about his magical abilities. It was doubly impressive that he had been a telepath for so many years. It made so much sense. Telepaths were known to be some of the weakest wizards in the world, but a small spark of magic went a long way, especially for a honed warrior like Alaric Bolt.

Domovoi thought back to the passage that his grandmother had read from the book about telepaths and the magic of telepathy-  
“Telepaths can read and transmit thoughts between minds. It had been used as a niche way of communication during times of war. There wasn’t much of a limit placed on the abilities of a telepath, given their concentration. Some telepaths could read entire books worth of thoughts and memories from a subject simply by eye contact.”

Domovoi knew that all his theories fit together, like jigsaw pieces in a puzzle. Especially after the talk with his brother, Joshua. His father had no way of knowing the underground, let alone the different nooks and crannies. Alaric would have no other way of finding such information out without reading the mind of someone who did-no one other than Domovoi.

Domovoi brought up a magical projection on the workshop. It was an almost exact replica of the dungeons and their layout. He then made markers, one red and blue. Red represented Artemis’s current location. Blue represented the location of the Iron Maiden, the magical artifact that Alaric had coveted and kept. He then hit the table with a fist.

“What’s the point?” cried Domovoi. He had hit a brick wall in the plan. If he so much at saw Alaric, Alaric would be able to read his mind for the plan and put into place some measures to prevent it. He had never realised before how truly trapped he was in his mind. The more he tried to find a way out, he would find something out in a book that telepaths had abilities to counteract that.

At this point, Powow came out from the tunnel to the Underground. He emerged into the workshop, and saw his master at his usual table with a magical hologram projection thing, screaming expletives at the projection. Powow had seen Domovoi’s rage many times, but never seen him so angry. That was when Powow realised that Domovoi wasn’t just mad; he was despairing.

“Dom?” Powow said.

Domovoi looked up from his position. He was sitting on a chair, with his head in his arms. He saw his Goblin companion, small and spunky. Powow was wearing a welder’s suit and a pair of goggles resting on his head. He had just emerged from the makeshift Underground workshop. 

“Powow, how…” Domovoi wiped his tears and straightened his clothes out. “How are you, buddy?”

Powow could sense the falsetto sincerity in his master’s tone. He could never understand why Dom always felt like it was his duty to act like he was stronger than he really was.

“I’m too weak for this.”

Domovoi was at his last legs. Powow looked at the hologram. He then slowly started making sense of it, as a white line drew itself to the red dot, followed by the red dot following the white line out. Domovoi had intended to break Artemis out.

“Too weak for what? This prison break?!” Powow exclaimed. Domovoi had never expressed weakness or an unwillingness to break into something or stop inventing or whatever had you. Whenever they reached a place in research that would stump them, Domovoi would get right up.

“I cannot get help for this plan.” Domovoi whispered.

“Yes! Yes you can!” Powow exclaimed. He so desperately wanted to help Domovoi out of this, but he wasn’t letting him in.

Domovoi then looked at Powow. Powow stared back at his currently emotional master.

“Powow. The only thing I want you to help with, is to work on your project, and to ensure that not one comes into my laboratory and seize anything.”

Domovoi then gestured to project G.O.L.E.M, the colossal suit of armour in the corner. Powow understood immediately. Both of them knew how power it truly was, and what the King would do with such power. 

“And if ANYONE comes in, or attempts to even step into my sector of the castle, you observe them with the holes in the wall. You activate the locks, and you do NOT talk to the King Alaric face to face,” Domovoi continued, explaining his detailed instructions to the Goblin.

He was met with a rather confused look from the Goblin.

“Why so specific, sir?” asked Powow.

“Just follow them. You do NOT let the King in here, under express order of Prince Domovoi Bolt.”

Powow nodded. He knew to follow orders. Domovoi must have had a strong reason for the specific instructions.

Domovoi then wore a cloak. He was moving off. He then looked cheerfully at Powow, as if in realisation of something. Powow wondered what was wrong.

“Something the matter, Dom?”

“You’ve never called me ‘Dom’ before,” Domovoi smiled at him bemusedly.

“You take issue?” Powow asked, his ears pricked up. He was afraid that he had offended Domovoi.

“Not at all. Call me that more often. I’ve been telling you for years to call me ‘Dom’.”

Domovoi then moved off, probably to leave the castle again for an errand. 

Powow was still a bit unhappy about having so little involvement in this current plan. Domovoi had simply waved him off without telling him why he was despairing.

Even so, he knew to keep his faith in Domovoi. The Prodigal Prince.

_____________________________

Liliana Gear had been there for Domovoi Bolt and Joshua Bolt, every day of the year ever since her daughter gave birth to each one. She had preferred to stay in her small cottage, in the countryside of Boltheim. It was near the main city and town, but secluded enough for her to be left alone.

She loved it that way. She preferred the countryside as opposed to the Castle. When Suzanna Gear-Bolt died, she was saddened, but she vowed to be the best grandmother than Domovoi and Joshua needed. They would stay with her for a few days, and she would be happy.

She was an old woman, and she was happy for some companionship. She knew almost everything about the boys, and they grew. They developed interests. Domovoi developed his skill of magic with her, and the immense library she kept. Domovoi became her apprentice. Joshua developed his love for physical fitness. He would train himself by running around the countryside with heavy chains tied to his arms and legs. 

Domovoi would always ask her about the different types of magic, and finding new and innovative ways to incorporate different kinds of magic into a new invention.

Joshua would request for her to increase the weight of the chains. 

They both became stronger. Joshua’s passion for protecting and fighting made him a warrior of Boltheim. He found his fire, the fire that would change him.

Domovoi? Domovoi didn’t. Domovoi kept inventing and inventing. Domovoi’s fire lit the day he learnt how to cast a basic cantrip. 

Yet, Liliana has never seen him as fired as he was now. She was worried about the plan that he had briefed her about. She knew that it was dangerous. Alaric was a ruthless man, and she sensed it in him from the first day she had ever seen him, and he would not go easy on his own son, if he managed to catch him.

Domovoi was in the other room meditating and recharging his own magic. He had been reading about Telepaths and memory-related spells.

Liliana felt faint. She felt the magical bond between Domovoi and her, and she felt the strength of his own potential surge through her. It empowered her, but the amount of magic made her queasy. The level of magic Domovoi was capable of was immense, and it filled her to the brim. It filled her with power so immense and dense and powerful, that she wasn’t sure she could take it. Then the feeling would pass. She would slowly feel better as the power left her body.

Domovoi walked in, noticing Liliana on the floor. She had fallen, her legs buckling and shaking.

“Grandma!” Domovoi shouted, helping her up from the floor. She looked up, as she was levitated by Domovoi onto a chair. Domovoi then did a magical scan of her body.

“I’m fine, Dom,” she whispered, as she relaxed herself. She must have collapsed.

Domovoi went into the kitchen to brew a quick invigoration potion, stirring some cocoa powder and hot water, enchanting it with an invigoration spell. He then offered it to his grandmother.

Liliana graciously accepted the hot drink, and slowly sipped the hot malt beverage. It slowly filled her up with energy again, and she felt her strength come back.

Domovoi then took a seat close to her.

“Grandma, how would I break into an Iron Maiden?” he asked. He couldn’t find anything in the encyclopedias, other than that it was one of the few ways to trap an angel, save for Hallowed Sphere force fields. Angels were helpless in the presence of a small prison cell made of a Hallowed Sphere powered force field.

Liliana then sat up, and conjured the chair into a rocking one. She then rocked back and forth, with the cup of potion levitated.

“Simple. You need a bit of physical strength, and a magical force pushing it open,” she explained. She then conjured up a magical image, showing an Iron Maiden being opened with a red man and a blue man. The blue man then looked like he was casting a spell, opening the contraption by a small crack, with the red man opening it with a good shove. 

Domovoi noted it down. It wasn’t his priority, but he needed to learn how to open an Iron Maiden if he intended to save the poor Angel trapped within.

He was more worried for Artemis and the resistance. It would be too risky to save both Artemis and whoever was in the Iron Maiden at the same time. The plan was solid if he were to save Artemis, he just needed to sneak her in and break her out of the cell and get her to move out. Simple.

Next problem. He needed to find a way to ensure that his father wouldn’t know the moment he does see him. He needed to make it so that he wouldn’t be able to simply read his mind about the plan.

He thought of the perfect solution.

“Grandma, a targeted mind wipe. Is it possible to erase my own memories?” he asked.

Liliana thought for a moment. It was theoretically possible. 

“Yes. It is theoretically possible to wipe your own memories, but it can get extremely dangerous. You might end up wiping more memories than you want, you might end up wiping too much or too little. It’s a risky type of magic.”

Domovoi pondered for a bit.

“Can I transfer memories and thoughts?”

“Yes. Yes you can. You can transfer a memory, a thought to someone else. You then lose the said memory, but the recipient will be able to understand it and comprehend it. They would be able to understand any thoughts and ideas given to them this way, and if they are willing, they would be able to do everything as you want it to be done,” explained the old lady. She had studied on memory magic a while ago.

Domovoi smiled to himself. It was almost too perfect.

______________________

Artemis counted the number of threads on the frayed pillowcase. It was a technique she had learnt a long time ago from her father, to focus. Clear the mind of any and everything. Count the threads on a frayed piece of cloth, count them and memorise in your heart. She had been alone in the jail cell for nearly a week, or so she thought. There wasn’t a clock or any way of telling time save for the meals that she had been given through a slot at the door.

They were treated like caged animals. Given barely any attention or welfare. They weren’t even allowed to talk or see each other. They were trapped in cells too cramped, too boring.

She wondered if Domovoi would save her. She wondered if he had already been caught by the King, and flayed and disemboweled. She thought about the fears she had.

She slowly concentrated on the threads on the cloth. She counted again, wiping her mind from all the thoughts. She trusted in him. 

Almost on cue, the door to the cell opened. Domovoi entered the cell. Artemis was shocked. Domovoi then put a finger on his lips to signal silence. She complied.

He passes her a cloak, shimmering like glitter. It was a cloak that made light reflect off it differently. It worked on the same principle as the two-way mirror, but instead of being a mirror, it acted as a camouflage device. It made the wearer turn into the same colour and patterns as their surroundings.

Artemis was about to say something, Domovoi stopped her, placing his hand over her mouth.

“Let this do the talking,” Domovoi whispered. He then pulled her close into an embrace, a loving hug that he hadn’t given her for a while, “Be safe.”

Domovoi kissed her on the forehead. Artemis suddenly felt a warmth on her forehead, slowly transferring itself to the rest of her head, then her body. She felt it flow into her mind, and she remembered thoughts that weren’t hers. She remembered the plan, and the format of the map. She remembered how to use the cloak.

Domovoi walked away, his eyes seemed blank. He had cast a timed spell that made his body move itself without any awareness on his part, in essentials-he placed his body on a state of auto-pilot. He moved towards his lab, without any knowledge of what was happening. 

Artemis looked at him walk away. She was grateful. She knew that there was a chance now. She then went to bed. The jail break was going to happen soon.

_____________________

Artemis sat quietly on the bed. She counted the threads of the frayed blanket. She looked at the open door to her cell, and she counted, waiting for her meal time. The plan laid out by Domovoi involved that. His memories flowed through her brain as if they were her own. She fastened the cloak around her neck. It was an odd combination of clothes between the black and orange prison jumpsuit and the cloak. Its magic didn’t work, not yet.

“Hey! Why is this cell door open?” the prison guard exclaimed. She got into action, opening the jail cell and kicking the guard hard in the chest. She then pulled the baton from his belt, knocking him out with a good hit on the head. She felt a bit of guilt for it, but she knew it was nothing personal.

She then crept into the non-magical wing, the cloak started working its magic. She covered herself under the cloak and crept slowly towards the exit. She then saw a huge, imposing door. She ‘remembered’ it to be the place where the Iron Maiden was kept.   
Artemis crept toward the door. She knew it to be impossible to break in and break the Angel out with just her. She recalled Domovoi’s grandmother telling him that it would require two people.

She peeked into the keyhole. She saw the shimmering of white feathers, the rustling of the wings were apparent. She heard the crying. She then saw the face of the girl. She was a young girl, who physically looked to be only about nine or ten. The angel wore a white dress. A simple white dress, and had hair the colour of chestnuts.

Artemis’s heart broke. She knew that she couldn’t save the Angel, not yet. She resolved to save her.

Artemis then turned away. Time was running short on the plan, and the doors to the prison were not going to remain open any longer than Domovoi can allow. 

She crept past guards, walking and patrolling the prison corridors. She then saw the exit. She waited for a guard to open the doors, before creeping out. She then slowly walked, under the cover of the shadows cast by the setting sun. It was right after dusk.

She moved from bush to bush, moving from the guardhouse of the dungeons, to the Castle Gardens. She moved slowly, lest someone noticed the weird blob of camouflage cloak that moved. She then reached the Castle Gates. The day shift guards and servants were all preparing to leave. She sneaked past the crowd and managed to make it to the main town. 

Artemis was in town, with everyone eating at the food hawkers, setting up their stalls in the street corners in the night, selling foods from all over Allia. She sneaked past an eastern Boltheim noodle store, and found a stall selling cheap clothes. She stole a shirt and pair of pants. She didn’t care much for the size of the clothing, they were large and made for a big man.

She then snuck into a corner, empty save for a human couple kissing and making out. She then slowly wore the shirt over her jumpsuit. She then put on the trousers. She then unclasped the cloak, and pocketed it.

She walked into the crowd, disguised as a commoner. She walked towards the countryside, until she reached a cottage. Secluded, and with its candles still lit. She knocked on the door, and was greeted by an old woman, Domovoi’s grandmother.

Liliana instinctively hugged her, recognising her on first sight. Artemis then started bawling. It was as if all the fear from the trek here vanished.

“Come my child. You’re safe.”

Artemis buried her face into the old lady’s shoulder, tears streamed freely.

“You’re safe.”

_________________________________________

Domovoi walked to the workshop, breaking out of his ‘auto-pilot’ spell. He wondered what he was working on. He saw his workbench, and he noticed that there was nothing but notes about the Golem.

It rattled ominously, as if it was in a state of unrest. Domovoi wondered why. It stopped as suddenly as it started. He decided that the rattling of the armour was merely the expansion and contraction of the metal in the temperature, or maybe it was his imagination. The Golem had no reason to simply rattle like that.

A maid then knocked on his door.

“Sir, it is time for Dinner,” said the maid. Domovoi understood. He then got dressed for dinner, wearing his dinner suit. It was a nice young man’s suit of a nice ruffled shirt with scarlet trousers. He then walked to the dining room. He ordered from the servant, he asked for a nice steak, juicy and medium rare.

He took a seat, reading a report on his spot of the table. There seemed to be a break out from one of the Halves, Artemis. Domovoi had wondered how she managed to pull it off. He should rendezvous with her and let her know that he hadn’t outed the location of the base to Alaric.

Alaric Bolt took a seat at the head of the table. He ordered, and sat down and read the reports.

Joshua then did the same.

Alaric stared at both Joshua and Domovoi, as he read the reports. 

“Says here that Artemis managed to break out. Joshua, elaboration please?” Alaric ordered.

“Father. It seemed to be an inside job. There was no way she could have escaped so many guards without some sort of spell.”

Alaric was furious. He had not forgotten her defiance. He had wanted to execute her on the spot, but Domovoi had protested so strongly. He had fallen in love with this girl. Alaric had let her live, but only in the dungeons. He was almost certain that Domovoi had something to do with this. A quick read of his memories would reveal everything.

“Do you know anything about this, Domovoi?” he said seriously. He looked his son in the eyes, casting a mind reading spell. He went into Domovoi’s head, searching through the last ten hours worth of memories. He saw nothing, past him being in the lab, rattling off miscellaneous math equations. 

Alaric wondered what had gotten into Domovoi. He was surprised that his son had nothing to do with the break out of Artemis Wolfblood.

Domovoi shook his head, as the waiter served him a beautifully plated piece of steak with mashed potatoes on the side. He then cut into the steak, thinking of the Golem and the rattling noise it made. Alaric tried to flip through his son’s thoughts, finding nothing.

Alaric wondered how the Half-Elf managed to escape. He wondered how Domovoi could have hidden any trace of a plan. There was no one else the Half-Elf would have been able to work with.

He nodded to himself. He then thought to stay on his toes for Domovoi’s plans.

___________________________

“Ingenious,” said Santelia to herself. She was impressed with Domovoi and Artemis. She was impressed that Domovoi had managed to come up with something like that.

Perhaps that was hope for saving her comrade imprisoned by Alaric afterall, she thought. She looked at Domovoi and Artemis’s faces on her mirror, enchanted to monitor subjects she had wanted to keep an eye on.

Santelia of the Unyielding Force smiled to herself, impressed at the sheer amount of gall and unadulterated brilliance it took for a plan like that.

Domovoi Bolt was fascinating.  
___________________________


	8. Chapter 8-Breakout

Domovoi couldn’t help but to feel a bit drained. He felt as if he had lost a day’s worth of work, but he didn’t understand why he felt this way. He feels as if he should be remembering something. 

He shook it off, by going into the Ancient Library, or what was left of it. Domovoi had always felt in awe knowing the history behind the Ancient Library. He also felt the most productive when he researched new spells to try in the library.

The true Ancient Library was once home to one of his ancestors, Dominic Holyshield. It was attached to the Castle, near the gardens. During the War of Titans many years ago the Titans of Allia, fought against each other; causing distortions in magic, energy and the forces of time and space. It was found that Prince Dominic Holyshield provoked each of the three Titans to leave their habitats in search of the others. Dominic managed to make use of the temporary disturbances in the fabric of Allia’s existence to open a portal into the world of Demons, releasing legions of Demons and Zombies upon Allia to wreak havoc and conquer.

He then magically levitated the entire library above Boltheim, observing the mayhem ensuing under him. Seeing all the Demons and Zombies under his command take over all of Allia.

It wasn’t until his older brother, Adam Holyshield, used an invention made by their youngest sibling, Aura. Adam Holyshield managed to use the invention to fly up to the Ancient Library to do battle with Dominic, in a last attempt to thwart his plans. Adam and Dominic dueled, one with a sword and shield, the other with magic and scepter.

Adam prevailed over Dominic, forcing the demon Diabolos to pull the demons back into the void, with the Ancient Library. Dominic Holyshield was never to be seen ever again.

Domovoi would hear this story from his mother, Suzanna. She would tell Joshua and him the story, when they were children. They would be so in awe with the story, that Joshua worked hard to be the warrior that he was. 

Joshua asked to be trained by the best, and he was sent to the Elves to learn how to do combat with rods and staves. He was sent to the Merfolk to learn how to fight with a harpoon and defend himself underwater. He was sent to the Goblins to learn to be agile with a hammer and to be strong with a great sword.

Domovoi asked to be learned in sciences and magic. He went under his grandmother’s wing to learn magic.

The Ancient library was the size of a small apartment, with only 2 shelves leftover from the original building. It was rebuilt to house the said shelves. It was looked after by a librarian, the Tome Keeper. Domovoi greeted the Tome Keeper, a young lady who seemed to be young. She wore spectacles, and wore a uniform that only the Tome Keepers wore.

“Prince Bolt, do you require any assistance?” She asked kindly. 

Domovoi shook his head and smiled. He then went to the shelves, and found an old spellbook. The first spellbook he had ever read as a fledgling Wizard. He wondered if there would be an answer to why he felt this weird sensation of blank-headedness.

He flipped to the chapter list, finding a chapter about Necromancy. His mind wandered to the signature magic of Dominic Holyshield. 

The chapter’s introduction read:

“There are many types of Magic, Enchantments, Sorceries, Abjurations, Teleportation, Conjuration, Telepathy, Summoning.etc.   
With Magic, almost anything is possible. With the exception of one rule-a Magician can never make something out of nothing. A magician can never bring life back to the dead. A spell caster can never wield the power of the Gods of Allia.

A spell caster most vile of them all, would attempt a mixture of magic. They would mix and match magicks in an attempt to bind the dead to the world of the living. This magic is called Necromancy. The magic of the Necromancer.

The magic of the Necromancer involves the manipulation of the spirits, bones and hearts of the dead. The Spirit of the Dead, the Bones of the Gone and the Heart of Death.”

Domovoi felt a shiver down his spine, as he thought back to the screams he heart when he put on the helmet of the Golem. He thought back even further, to the Legendary Sword and Shield, Ragnarok and Justice.

Domovoi replaced the spell book to its bookshelf, and browsed the section of shelves. He then found the journal of Aura Holyshield, the youngest of the Holyshield siblings. She was a genius artificer, a spell caster focused on enchanting artifacts. He found a sketch of a giant suit of armour with a comparison sketch. 

It was labeled “Sketch of Work Armour, Collaboration between Domi and I”.

It looked similar to the Metal Golem that Domovoi had.

Domovoi realised something for the first time. He wasn’t enchanting artifacts like Aura Holyshield.

He had entrapped souls and spirits into objects. He wasn’t an artificer.

No he wasn’t any ordinary spell caster, he was a Necromancer.

____________________________

“Lily, what happened to Mona Holyshield?” Asked Andris. 

Liliana Gear sat on a rocking chair on the porch, with a small pot of tea and an ancient Sword and Shield for company.

Liliana enjoyed the company of an ancient spirit as much as the next person. They provided an interesting insight into times gone by, and it was always a thrill to talk to Andris Shieldbearer, the spirit within the sword and shield. He was an ancient Paladin, the personal bodyguard of the Holyshield family. He was a warrior, and his spirit was put into Ragnarok, the Unstoppable Sword, and Justice, the Unbreakable Shield by Domovoi as an experiment. Recently, he had been placed in the care of Liliana.

Andris would go wherever Liliana wanted to place him, and they would stay on the porch, the sheathed sword and shield would take up a spot on the floor, next to Liliana’s rocking chair. They would talk about new traditions and foods. Liliana would tell the ancient Paladin of the different races of Allia. She would tell him of what each culture has evolved into, the niches and their contributions to the betterment of Allia.   
She would explain the legends that the Holyshield and their histories have become. How Adam Holyshield established Boltheim, the city of humans. How Mona Holyshield sailed the seas of Allia with the aid of her Merfolk companions, and established the Fishing Fleet-a fleet so vast and strong, it was governed by a separate government altogether. How Aura Holyshield discovered the many formulas and equations that made up modern Science and Magic theory.

She flipped to a book about the Holyshield family. It contained a comprehensive family tree of the Holyshields. 

“Letsee here. Mona Holyshield eventually started the Fishing Fleet, a fleet of ships that traveled all of Allia. She made sure to keep the diplomatic relations between the Merfolk and Humans friendly,” Liliana read from the history book. 

“Ah. She’s always been like that,” mused the sword and shield. He sounded distant, as if he missed her. 

Liliana wondered how hard it must be, to awaken in a body of steel, and having to reminisce of people long dead. She wondered if it were a curse or a blessing to be able to live like that.

“Do you ever miss them?” she asked. She wondered if it would have been inappropriate to ask him such a thing. She barely knew Andris past the fact that he was the spirit of an ancient Paladin of the Holyshield era. She wondered so much about him. What made him tick. Yet she knew that for all the scientific curiosity she held, it was callous.

Andris went silent for a moment, before replying. Liliana instantly regretted asking such a personal question. It was out of line, and it must have sounded so careless.

“I’m sorry, Andris, that was a bit personal,” she said. She felt guilty about asking him such a question.

“Nono, Lily. Don’t feel bad, no,” Andris replied, “I miss them, of course. They were my friends, the closest thing I had to a family.”

“I’m sorry that Dom brought you back from the afterlife.”

“Don’t be so quick to apologise for your grandson, Lily. He’s a brilliant man, a smart one, and he cast that spell because he had a reason to.”

Liliana shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

“He brought you back,” she said, with a tinge of guilt.

“For a reason-he needed to protect with this sword and shield, and he trusted an ancient spirit of Castle Boltheim, or in my time, Castle Holyshield.”

Liliana looked into the distance. She wondered if her Grandson was really as great as Andris had thought.

One thing was for certain, Andris was going to be a faithful ally. Not just to her, no. She wasn’t going to be around much longer. She knew that for certain. She knew that she wasn’t going to be around for a bulk of the events she saw when she became one of the seers.

She only hoped Domovoi would realise that soon. There will be something big happening. Something huge, far bigger than she could fathom. Even a prodigy like Domovoi would need company. He would need allies in his battles ahead, and she wished she could live longer. Just a little bit longer.

She wondered why the Gods of Allia would let her days be numbered. She knew that there was a reason, and she kept her faith.

Liliana sighed, as she finished the dregs of tea left in the cup.

“Liliana, would you like some more tea?” Artemis asked, looking out the window, to see the old lady rocking on her chair.

“No, sweetie. Thank you though,” Liliana then smiled, as she refused. She wondered if Artemis was going to be the making of her elder grandson.

______________________

Domovoi walked up to his Grandmother’s house. He was at the porch, when he realised something was amiss. The firewood had been cut and stacked neatly outside near the door. This was an oddity-the Old Woman had always kept her fireplace lit with a magical fire that required no wood.

It was almost as if someone had been living with her. He wondered why that feeling was so-his grandmother hasn’t had a guest to stay in a long while. Domovoi wondered who it could have been. He knew that she kept high company in the other Kingdoms of Allia.

Domovoi remembered when an Elven lady stayed a few days with his grandmother. He remembered the conversations he had. She remembered how she claimed to have lived long enough to remember the rule of Adam Holyshield’s son. He wondered if Elves could live so long.

He then entered, and went into the study. He saw his grandmother sitting at her desk, with her head buried in yet another book. He then hugged her and kissed her on the cheek in greeting.

“Dom, there’s someone in the living room to surprise you,” she said simply, with a bright smile on her face. Domovoi looked at her quizzically. He wondered what she was talking about.

Domovoi then went into the living room, and was greeted by a flurry of red and blue, running towards him and hugging him tightly. He remembered the softness of her skin, and the smell of her hair. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of euphoria, realising that it was Artemis hugging him.

He pulled away from her, and took a good look at her.

“It’s good to see you again, Dombomb!” said Artemis. There were tears in her eyes, making them sparkle in the light. She was grinning from ear to ear, and for good reason. She was happy to see Domovoi again. She was happy to know that he had attempted to save her.

“How…what!?” Domovoi sputtered. He was confused about so many things. How did Artemis know to escape, how DID she escape? How did she know where his grandmother lived, let alone knew how to get there? So many questions went through his head, as he stared blankly at Artemis. He was happy, so definitely ecstatic to see her, but her being in front of him felt unreal, almost as if she were a mirage.

“Oh!” Artemis realised. She then kissed him on the forehead, canceling out Domovoi’s memory spell. Domovoi experienced a warmth on his forehead, that spread throughout his body. His eyes glowed a bright yellow, before slowly extinguishing.

He then remembered everything- the memory charm on Artemis to help her escape. How he had used this spell to evade his father.

He looked at Artemis with newfound clarity and understanding. His happiness was amplified a thousandfold. His plan had worked perfectly, and she was safe. He felt a feeling most indescribable, a mixture of hope, relief and euphoria. Domovoi looked at her face, her eyes.  
Their eyes met, and they looked at each other for a moment. His heart felt light, as if his worries and thoughts didn’t matter, and what mattered was knowing she was safe and right in front of him.

His hand found hers, they held hands. They sat down together, at the dining table.

“You did it,” Artemis whispered. The feeling of freedom never felt so real before. The feeling of having someone she loved very much in front of her, never felt so overwhelming.

Domovoi nodded. He was so relieved, he couldn’t control the tears streaming from his eyes. 

“Am I interrupting?” Liliana’s voice resonated to the two. She walked into the room with a smile on her face, with her arms crossed. She was happy to see the two reunite, and she was happy to see Domovoi like this. 

Domovoi and Artemis scrambled, letting go of their hands. They took a moment to wipe their tears, and regain their composure. 

“No, no. Not at all, we were just discussing…things…” Artemis said, as her voice trailed off. She wondered what was in store. Her comrades were still imprisoned in the dungeons. 

“Yes. Now comes the second phase,” Domovoi explained, as he led the two ladies to the basement. 

He then clicked his fingers, starting the magical hologram of the map. 

“There’s a SECOND phase?!” exclaimed Liliana. She had not signed up to be part of his grandson’s plan. She had assumed that he was only to save Artemis.

“Of course. There’s a reason why that Angel is trapped in the dungeons, and we need to stop that,” explained Domovoi. He knew that it was the best chance of stopping his father from any of the plans he thought was ‘good’.  
It was clear by this point-Alaric Bolt was not as ‘good’ as he thought himself to be. Domovoi was determined to stop him from committing more evil. 

Liliana nodded, albeit reluctantly. 

Domovoi wondered if what he was doing was right. He knew that there were so many morally grey areas to this. He decided to go with his take of the black and white.

_________________________________

Ariel of the Potential was bored, as anyone would be being stuck in a cell with almost nothing to do. She would make conversation with the guards of her cell, but they would usually be dull to talk to. 

She had the body of a young Elven girl, and she wore the customary uniform of the Angels-a simple white dress. She had been sent to the mortal world to explore and walk among the living. She was then caught by a grizzled and scarred man, and placed in a special coffin, and she found herself imprisoned by Hallowed Spheres.

It was all very confusing, but she didn’t mind her stay, except that it was incredibly dull. She wondered if it was customary of mortals to trap and catch whatever they didn’t yet understand. It was distressing, and she found herself crying. She felt sad about the way these mortals treated her.

She wondered if she would be free soon.

_________________________________

Artemis looked at the grounds of Castle Boltheim. She had a funny feeling of dread. It seemed like it had been a long while since she had escaped, but in reality, it had only been half a week. She wondered if it would count as something tantamount to a suicide mission, if she tried it without the help of Domovoi.

She was covered in the camouflage cloak that Domovoi had given to her. She felt secure, but she always tried to keep in mind that it was limited in its use. She still had to keep silent, even under cover. Domovoi however, could simply walk into the dungeons.

Domovoi walked slowly, into the dungeons. The guards didn’t bat an eyelash to seeing the Prince walk into the dungeons. Domovoi wondered whether any of his creations were installed into the dungeons. It was an odd sensation, knowing that many of the quirks of the dungeon was because of him. He knew that he had given some of the Paladins specially fitted weaponry. He also knew that he had made the anti-magical field possible, and he wondered if it would be his undoing.

He took a deep breath, trusting in his instincts. He wasn’t alone.

He would leave a door open, until he felt a light touch on his leg. Artemis would lightly poke his shin with her foot. This was the signal to show that she was through the door, and he would then let the door close. They made the turns in the web of dungeons, making carefully sure to avoid the anti-magical fields of certain cells. 

They followed this process until reaching the door that Artemis found previously-the door to the Angel. Alaric’s nasty little secret.

Domovoi noticed the imposing door. It was a door that he had enchanted with an almost-unbreakable lock.

“This door. I remember making it impossible to pick by most burglars.” He mused. He was in an odd state of curiousness. He was somewhat happy, seeing his inventions being used.

Artemis couldn’t believe Domovoi. She tugged the cloak off her, and just glared at Domovoi incredulously. He was taken aback by her sudden expression, though he understood why she was glaring at him.

“REALLY Domovoi? Now’s REALLY not the time to be impressed by your own inventions!” she whispered. She was annoyed by his distraction. Time was imperative, and he should have understood that by now.

“I know, I know!” he replied. He then worked on doing a counter spell on the lock. It then clicked audibly, and opened. They both opened the door, and saw a beautiful young girl. She was dressed in white, and she had wings, white as the clouds.

She was trapped in a small cell within the room, made of a special enchanted material. Domovoi looked carefully at the material, and realised that it was to stop the Angel from using her powers. It worked on a similar principle from Domovoi’s anti-magic cells.

The Angel then looked at both of them with a bemused expression.

“Are you here to help me?” she asked. Artemis and Domovoi exchanged a glance. They hadn’t expected the Angel to be so young. She looked to be a young girl, a child. Artemis didn’t manage to get a close look the last time.

“Yes, of course. We’re here to free you,” Domovoi explained, as he opened the gate. Artemis went in and helped her out. 

“Wait, so this isn’t how Human mortals behave?” the Angel asked curiously. 

“No, Angel. Why would they behave like that?!” Domovoi replied. 

“Then where are you taking me?”

“We’re escaping,” Artemis answered the Angel’s queries. It seemed interesting, how this young girl was so inquisitive.

Artemis then attached a short thread to each of their hands. She connected the angel’s hand to hers. Artemis then connected her other hand to Domovoi.

“Are you ready?” Domovoi asked, looking to Artemis and the Angel. They nodded.

Domovoi then clicked his fingers, casting a spell on all of them-a camouflage spell. He had intended to simply camouflage them, but they seemed to be a lot more intangible than usual. They were almost completely invisible as opposed to blending into the surroundings.

“Huh,” he said, confused. He then slowly walked out of the door, closing it. They slowly crept their way to the entrance, careful to avoid any guards and doors. They make it to the exit.

Domovoi then led them to the bushes, to dismiss the camouflage spell. He then cast a levitate spell on all three of them.

“We’re going to be flying to Grandma’s house, so is everyone ready?” He whispered. Both Artemis and the angel nodded. They were both ready for whatever that was going to come.

Domovoi then cast the camouflage spell again. It seemed to work even better than he thought. He moved his hand from side to side, as he saw it moved through the air, with barely a shimmer. It was a spell even better than his usual camouflage spell, and he wondered why the magic he cast was stronger than he needed it to be.

The three of them traveled in the air, flying their way to Liliana’s.

______________________________

Domovoi landed carefully on the grass outside of his Grandmother’s cottage. They had been in flight for about half an hour, traveling briskly. 

He dismissed the camouflage spell, and scrutinised Artemis and the Angel. The three of them walked into the house, to be greeted by Liliana.

“By Allia, you did it!” Liliana exclaimed. She then hugged Domovoi tightly, glad to see her grandson alive. 

“So, we’ve broken you out, Angel,” he said happily. It was a good feeling to know he had save someone from his father’s tyranny yet again.

“I have a name, good sir,” she replied. She then extended a fist to him, expecting him to return it in greeting.

Artemis and Domovoi were puzzled by this gesture. They wondered what it meant. Domovoi then extended a fist awkwardly. The Angel then bumped his fist with hers.

“What is it?” Artemis asked.

“I am Ariel of the Potential!” she piped up enthusiastically. Ariel seemed excitable, and she grinned.

The three of them introduced themselves to Ariel. Ariel smiled, turning her attention to Domovoi.

“You should really consider just shielding your mind.”

“What?” Domovoi replied flatly.

“Shielding your mind, as opposed to simply wiping your memories. That causes a permanent damage to your memories,” Ariel said simply. Domovoi simply looked at her, before understanding.

“Really?” Domovoi asked.

She nodded.

“I can show you!”

_______________________________

King Alaric Bolt walked slowly, to Shiv’s cell. 

Shiv looked up from his rest. He knew that Alaric needed him already. Shiv grimaced.

“It’s time.”

Shiv was unimpressed.

“Already?” he replied.

“Don’t ask any questions.”

________________________________


	9. Chapter 9-Safe

Alarms blared into his bunker, lights started flashing through his window. Joshua Bolt was awoken by the worst colours of light and the shrillest of alarm sirens that could possibly go wrong. He sat up and looked out the window to see his men assemble from their barracks.

Joshua sighed. Some days, he truly did wish he weren’t Captain of the Royal Paladins, or the elite soldiers of Boltheim. He wondered what would it be like to take a vacation. He was wearing a simple shirt and his shorts-his usual sleeping attire.

He heard a knock on his door. 

“Sir, it is a Code Red!” Lieutenant Diane Rosewood’s voice called over the sirens. Joshua took a glance out the window, observing the eye-blindingly shade of red that the Mages had already cast into the sky. Sure enough, it was a deep shade of crimson. Joshua wondered if to change her designation to Lieutenant Obvious.

Joshua got out of bed, putting on his uniform, and pulling a trench coat on over it. He walked to his desk to shook off his moodiness, pouring himself a drink of whisky into his tumbler. 

“Yes, Diane. I can see that,” Joshua Bolt shouted over in reply. He wondered what exactly was the fuss to be able to designate it as ‘code red’. He wondered if the Tyrannosaurus that Domovoi had been keeping in his sector had escaped, or if a giant ant was attacking the Castle, or hell, anything as farfetched as that. Joshua was honestly not surprised at anything anymore. Nearly all of the Code Reds that happened in the past five years had usually been his brother’s doing.

He opened the door, to see the good Lieutenant, in her uniform-looking as smart as she always had. She flicked her blonde hair to the side, delivering him a folder of reports. Joshua opened the folder, as they walked. Their boots clicked on the floor, as they heard the platoon sergeants assemble the men on the open parade square.

The reports given to Joshua were shocking, to say the least. They were files from an operation from his father’s very own Black Guards. Men who were to follow the orders of one person in the castle and one person only-the King of Boltheim. They read:

“Name: Project ANGEL.  
Classification: H.E.O  
Mission Brief: Study the characteristics of an Angel, and find a way to harvest the power of a Hallowed Sphere and provide magical energy to the population of Boltheim.”

Joshua remembered the term ‘H.E.O’. It was a term used only for the King of Boltheim-‘His Eyes Only’. He then flipped through the pages, looking at sketches and photographs of a young girl with wings of pure ivory. He was filled with an intense amount of dread and betrayal. His father was a criminal on the level of tyrants. By the laws of the Allia Agreement, it was illegal to imprison or otherwise detain an Angel for study.

Joshua then looked up at Lieutenant Diane. She nodded sternly, before smiling. She knew and understood the ramifications. 

“I don’t understand, how did you get these?!” Joshua exclaimed. He knew that he wanted information with regards to the special sector that his father had set up in the dungeons, but he didn’t expect for Lieutenant Diane to be able to deliver so quickly and effectively. 

“Simple. I’m a girl,” she said simply.

Joshua smiled-Lieutenant Diane deserved a medal, maybe even a huge promotion. That left one thing-what was the red alert about?

Joshua and Diane continued walking past the bridge, and then down the stairs. They walked in silence-a silence that carried tension. 

“Captain Joshua, we have a situation. Whatever was in that sector had escaped, and the King has ordered us to go after it.”

“Go after something that hadn’t left a trace?” Joshua flipped through the papers regarding the investigation. There was no indication whatsoever of a forced breakout, no indication that the Angel had anyway to escape.

“Well, technically-go after something that we don’t even know about, sir,” reminded Diane. She was right, thought Joshua. He had to think of a way to order his troops.

They reached the parade square, where all the men and women of the Royal Paladins assembled in rows. They faced the front, in expectation of the voice of Captain Bolt. Joshua looked at Diane.

Everyone stomped their feet into attention. 

“Ho!” The commanding officer shouted. 

“HO!” The assembled soldiers shouted in reply. The commanding officer directed his hand to Joshua, bowing in respect. The soldiers then bowed after the cue. Joshua bowed back, before taking his position at the centre stage.

“Men and Women, this is a red alert-a direct order from the King of Boltheim, we are to capture and detain a girl with wings,” Joshua ordered. This went against everything that he had personally known as a Paladin. He knew that very well, but he had to follow his father’s orders. Joshua then bowed.

“MOVE OUT, HO!” Joshua shouted in command.

Each line moved out in search of the Angel. Joshua was left with Lieutenant Diane, wondering if he had done the right thing.

___________  
Domovoi woke up, and headed to the dining room. He wondered if Ariel’s tips would work. Shielding his mind from any intrusion from his father’s attempts. Domovoi had been looking at his magic the wrong way, always wielding it like a cudgel. He had totally overlooked the ability to simply put up a mental barrier to stop forced reading. 

He took his usual seat at the dining table, and looked at the morning reports. The reports about the Angel managing to break out. The Paladins had their work cut out for them, Domovoi thought. Domovoi ordered breakfast from one of the servants. He asked for a nice slew of Bacon and eggs, with a small bowl of oatmeal. He silently thought of it as a victory breakfast from breaking out both Artemis and Ariel in a matter of days, and another part of him thought of it as a guilty pleasure.

He wondered to himself what his father would look like. He debated in his mind between a furious red-faced expression, and a shaking maniac desperate for some relaxation. Domovoi looked into the files in the folder. Joshua had deployed almost his entire platoon to searching for the Angel. He wondered if Joshua had any information. He wondered if there was any conscience left in his father. 

He was wrong. Alaric Bolt walked into the dining room as cool as an ice cube. He looked no less worse than he was the previous day. Domovoi nearly lost control of the mental shield that Ariel had taught him to use, in shock. He wondered how his father remained so calm. Domovoi screamed internally at this. Did his father not have any remorse? Or shame?

“I’ll have some eggs and bread, please,” he ordered one of the servants. He then took a seat at the head of the dining table, a servant poured a cup of hot coffee out for him. He was distanced slightly away from Domovoi, as he opened the folder of reports from the previous night.

Domovoi observed his father out from the corner of his eye, careful to keep his concentration on emptying his own thoughts. He couldn’t risk his father finding out the whereabouts of Ariel or Artemis. Alaric looked as if he was unaffected. He looked untroubled. 

The server then placed the tray of food in front of Domovoi. Domovoi thanked the server, a young lady in a maid’s outfit.

“Do you know anything about this?” Alaric asked, tapping on the folder in his hand. He had an expression of expectation, as if Domovoi were a guilty boy, and he had been found out.

Domovoi didn’t dare make eye contact with the man. He knew all about the potential of evil that came from Alaric Bolt, and it saddened him. Domovoi knew that Alaric was not always this bloodthirsty, and it broke his heart.

“No, I don’t,” Domovoi replied, focusing his attention to his breakfast. He replied quickly and curtly, not leaving much room for conversation. This wasn’t a conversation, this was a short exchange.

Alaric nodded to himself, seemingly convinced by Domovoi. 

“Interesting though,” Alaric whispered, his voice dripping with a hint of murderous intent. 

“What is?” Domovoi replied, his voiced tinged with a hint of fear-he was afraid of his father. Alaric had clearly demonstrated that he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. 

Alaric took a long sip of coffee. He deliberately took his time. Domovoi kept himself concentrated on the mental block. His father was trying to wear him down.

“Interesting how the past week, the break outs were directly involved with you.”

Domovoi sneered it off. His father was pretending to know more than he really did. Domovoi knew that his father was fishing.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Domovoi said simply. He turned to leave.

His father had a smile on his face, a smile so forced and slippery. Domovoi couldn’t help but to feel bad. He never wanted to have to go against his father. He never thought he would need to protect his thoughts in front of his father.

Domovoi felt more than rage, as he walked towards the door. He felt betrayal. He felt a deep sadness, a nearly unfathomable sadness.

He walked out of the dining room. He felt tears in his eyes. He knew that there was no going back. Alaric was not going to stop himself.

His resolved hardened, Domovoi walked out of the dining room.

______________________________

It had been an interesting week for Liliana Gear, and she wasn’t complaining. Before her, assembled a motley crew of people that her grandson had managed to save, befriend or otherwise meet. A spiritually infused sword and shield, a Half-Elven girl and a young Angel were in the living room of an old Diviner’s house. It almost sounded like the set up for a ‘x and y walk into a bar’ joke.

She smiled to herself, as she cast her spell on the room. They were spells to block any possible way to contact or track the inhabitants of her cottage without her consent. 

She thought it would take more effort, but the Angel, Ariel of the Potential, had been helping her. Any and all magic that Liliana cast was amplified tenfold with Ariel’s help. She was almost certain that Ariel’s sheer presence actually took away the side-effects that casting magic gave its user.

“Alright, let’s go for a Barrier of Interference,” Liliana ordered, her staff of elder glowed. A barrier of light, barely visible by the naked eye, expanded and filled the room. Ariel’s eyes and fingertips glowed a bright white light, as she assisted Liliana with the spells. The naked eye would see nothing but ruins, the barrier interfering with an intruder’s senses and overwhelming it with illusions to drive them away. 

The spell was cast, Liliana took a seat at the dining table. She felt her sweat drip down her aged and wrinkled forehead, and she was happy. It had been a long time since she had cast so many Abjurations and Enchantments at one go. Ariel smiled and took a seat across her. They had bonded over their mutual love for magic in the past week, Ariel had been reading the many books in the library.

It was a different case totally for Artemis. She had enjoyed Liliana’s company, along with Ariel’s and Andris’s, but she felt out of place. She was used to roaming the city, and exploring and roaming its streets. Artemis had never gotten into Magic, even with her parents urging. She shifted impatiently, as she watched Ariel and Liliana casting. Artemis longed for someone to spar or someone to fight. She wanted anything to get out of the monotony of hiding like this. The only highlights were when Domovoi managed to communicate a message over to them, but even that was a rarity. He had to keep his head down, as the Royal Paladins had been mobilised to search for Ariel and Artemis.

Artemis wondered where she was. Not physically, but she wondered where she went wrong. Her comrades were still imprisoned, and here she was in the hut of an old mage, and she was stuck hiding. She couldn’t do anything about her situation and she wanted so desperately to escape. She wondered if the old lady and the angel noticed. She wished they didn’t.

“That’s a Staff of Utmost Emotion,” Ariel pointed out, fixating her eyes on Liliana’s staff. The staff was made of elderwood, and there was a jewel embedded into the top of it, a colourless gem of high purity. 

Liliana nodded, the staff in her hands glowed with a bright white light. She then conjured a rocking chair, and rocked. She then levitated a pot of tea onto the dining table, offering it to Artemis and Ariel. Artemis nodded gratefully, and poured a cup of tea, staring blankly into space. Ariel poured some out for herself. 

Ariel scrutinised the staff, as she sipped her tea. She didn’t need the sustenance, but the taste of tea was nice. She had enjoyed foods in the mortal world. Foods were not needed Mt.Cloud, and it was interesting observing how Mortals lived their lives, having to sleep and eat and all.

“A gift from an old friend, a long time ago,” Liliana said softly. She stared out the window, remembering old times. 

“Elven?” Ariel asked. She had recognised the runes in her studies. 

Liliana nodded, with a smile. They were indeed from Elven friends. She wondered how Ariel knew that, but Ariel’s physical features gave that away.   
Ariel had Elven ears, pointed and long. She had been an elf in death, and her angel form took on that appearance. Perhaps, there were some instinctive subconsciousness still left in her head. Liliana wondered what Ariel could remember about her previous life.

“They’re okay,” Ariel said. She said it without any particular intent. 

“Who are?” Artemis asked. She wondered if Ariel had heard her thoughts.

“Your friends. They’re all okay. The Paladins made sure that they were given ample care.”

Artemis burst into tears. She had no clear reason to believe in the Angel’s words. All of it didn’t matter, because it was reassurance.

Ariel rushed to hug Artemis, her wings aflutter, scattering a fine down on the floor. There was something so divine about being hugged by Ariel. 

Artemis felt like she was being touched by a cloud. Ariel’s hug felt soft to the touch, and it lifted her spirits. She felt her heart beating fast, she felt the rush of melancholy leave her body. She felt okay.

“You’ve been holding it all in, haven’t you?” Ariel said simply, as she rubbed the tears off Artemis’s cheeks.

Artemis said nothing. She merely nodded. She wiped her tears away, and she felt some hope in her heart for the first time in a while.

The door opened, Domovoi walked in cloaked with the camouflage cloak. He then shut the door, Liliana jumped up and magically detected if he were truly Domovoi. She felt his aura, and saw that purple tinge again. She ignored it, and hugged him.

She nodded, and hugged her grandson. Domovoi looked at Artemis, Ariel and his Grandmother. He then noticed that Justice and Ragnarok were on the table. Everyone was present. He noticed Artemis’s eyes were wet, and reddish. She had been crying.

Domovoi hugged Artemis, without question or being prompted. He didn’t know what was up, but she needed it.

Artemis pulled away, grateful.

“What’s the situation?” Liliana asked. She was curious about what was happening on the outside. She knew that if the Paladins were mobilised, they would not be called back without arresting them.

“Bad. Joshua has the entire force mobilised to search for Ariel,” Domovoi said. His tone was that of worry. His brother had been known to overwork himself at times, and in times like these with direct orders from their father, Joshua was bound to be behind on his rest for a long time.

Liliana shook her head. This wasn’t good news, and she knew it.

Domovoi then put a finger into the air. He felt the quiver and humming of the many abjurations and enchantments. The magical radiation felt like wind in the sky for him, and he felt it in his heart. The magic of protection and illusion.

“It’s all up, Dom,” Ariel said enthusiastically. Domovoi had intrigued her ever since she saw his face at the prison. There was something in his eyes that didn’t show itself often. There was burden and pain. Much more than just the struggles of protecting and bringing his own father to justice, no, it was something deeper.

Domovoi nodded. Ariel was staring into his eyes. He turned away, and walked to the dining table.

He then took Ragnarok and Justice from the table, and presented it to Artemis. 

Artemis was confused, as she took the Legendary Sword and shield into her hands. The weight of the sword and shield felt less than they looked.

“Listen. If this place is compromised in anyway, Andris will help defend us, but he needs someone to wield the weapons,” he said. Artemis nodded. She was a good swordsman, and she knew it. Artemis saw the age in Domovoi. He looked as if he had aged a decade since she last saw him. 

“Yes sir. I will help to defend this place to the end,” Andris said in his metallic tones. Liliana looked at the talking sword. She trusted it.

He then took his cloak, moving to leave.

“Wait, you’re leaving already Dombomb?” Artemis said, almost pleadingly. She didn’t want Domovoi to go off again.

He nodded sadly.

“I have to. It’s too suspicious for me to disappear from the castle for too long, especially when they’re after you and Ariel,” Domovoi said. His tone haggard and laboured. 

“Please, it’s too dangerous. Let’s just run,” said Artemis desperately. She knew that it was too dangerous. Domovoi dined with the maniac that started all of this, every single day.

Domovoi shook his head. There was too much they had to do.

Ariel came up to him.

“My brother, you are a brave soul,” she said softly, almost as if she were in a trance.

“Thank you.”

“Just remember that no matter how dark the powers you use are, you have us. You will always have friends like us, and your heart is only as bright as the person that you strive to be.”

Domovoi simply stood there, speechless. He looked at Ariel. He wondered how she knew the perfect words to say.

Ariel stood there, smiling simply. She had the appearance of a little Elf girl, but she was as wise as the oldest sage on this world.

Domovoi left. His heart a lot less lighter than when he entered.

_________________________________

The King Alaric Bolt, walked out from the dungeons with his entourage. He was accompanied with a couple of his Black Guards, and with the Elf, Shiv. Alaric knew that it was time to mobilise. Shiv walked free, with a choker. A special choker that would immobilise him if he tried anything funny.

They walked to the Research and Development wing. It had been locked down from entry. He then knocked on the door. Domovoi never locked his facilities so tightly before.

“Open up.”

Alaric then heard the voice of Powow, Domovoi’s assistant, coming through from metal boxes.

“I’m sorry Sir, but Prince Domovoi has given me express orders to not allow anyone without the proper authorisation into the Research and Development facilities,” the goblin said, through the magical sound amplifiers. Powow had scurried up the main workshop from the secret hatch that led to his personal workshop. 

“I AM the KING you nitwit. Let me in, or so help me, I will fry you.” Alaric roared.

“Yes sir. Opening the gates now, sir.”

Powow opened the doors and let Alaric and his crew in. The King walked into the workshop, with his sword drawn.

Powow greeted Alaric, but was met with a swift kick to the floor. Alaric then pointed his sword to the Goblin’s neck, its very tip drawing blood. 

“You pile of filth,” Alaric spat furiously, “How DARE you tell me that I am not authorised?”

“Sir, I was following orders,” Powow pleaded fearfully. Alaric withdrew his sword. He needed a technician alive. He also knew that there would not be enough time to read Powow’s thoughts, so he left it as that.

Powow recovered his composure, as he stood up again. He followed Alaric, as he went before the Golem Suit.

“If you don’t wish to die horribly like the ancestors before you, you will let my friend here try it on.” 

Alaric gestured to the Golem suit. He then looked at Shiv, and nodded silently. Shiv then proceeded to start levitating the individual pieces of the armour onto him.

Powow knew. This was what Domovoi was talking about. This was why he wanted to dispose of the armour. He could do nothing but watch as the armour slowly clicked and formed around the elf.

“BUT SIR!” Powow protested.

“What is it?” Alaric turned his attention to the goblin. 

“We don’t have any more of the Hallowed Sphere. We expended the magic within it already!”

Alaric then laughed. Alaric and Shiv pumped their magic into the suit of armour. It worked perfectly, and Shiv knew how to operate it.

Powow looked on in horror, as Shiv took off the armour. He then stood strong, and nodded again to Alaric.

“It works,” Shiv said simply. He then slowly replaced them in the position that they were earlier.

They move towards the exit, as Powow collapsed onto the floors, feeling his knees buckle.

“Oh, and Powow?” Alaric said.

Powow looked up at the Corrupt King.

“If Domovoi finds out that we intend to take it, then you die.”

Alaric walked out, leaving fear in his wake. The Goblin shivered, knowing that he had to work harder. He had to make sure Domovoi had a chance.

He had to make sure that Domovoi wouldn’t be blindsided. 

______________________


	10. Chapter 10-Not So Safe

Domovoi tossed and turned violently in his sleep. He woke up with a jump from a nightmare. He had imagined that the Golem was being piloted by a maniac hell bent on finding Ariel and Artemis. He saw fire burning all over the place, and the Cottage wrecked beyond recognition. He felt a deep pit of despair in his stomach. He knew that Ariel and Artemis was taken. He felt himself sweating from the dream. Domovoi felt his bedsheets, they were damp from his perspiration. Domovoi felt his own tears flow freely. 

 

He sat up, taking deep breaths. He calmed down, the sun shone into his bedroom, the sunlight shimmered on the floor.

 

He got dressed, and he made his way down to his workshop. The dream was definitely just one, nothing more or less. The day is just going to be alright, Domovoi told himself.

 

“It’ll be okay, right?” He said to himself. He looked out the window, he saw the town of Boltheim. He knew that there was definitely something at stake-the people of Boltheim.

 

The day was going to be just fine. That was the only thing he could tell himself, as he got into his bathroom.

 

His neck ached, and his muscles were tired. He felt the aches, and he knew that there won’t be time for resting anytime soon. Joshua and his men were after Ariel and Artemis, and he couldn’t rest so long as his brother was after them.

 

__________________________

 

Powow worked on his secret project. He was close to completion, and he knew it. He knew that the Prodigal Prince will be needing it soon. He worked his wrench as quick as he can. 

 

There was no time to lose, if the worst was to come. There was no time to lose even to think. There was no time to bother about the cold draft that came into the underground tunnels. Powow couldn’t care about that. He had to work and focus on the blueprints on the board.

 

Powow looked at the board, and the layout. He did his final checks to make sure, to make very sure, that he hadn’t left anything out.

 

__________________________

 

Domovoi walked into his workshop, as per usual. Except that everything wasn’t. He noticed that the walls, usually decorated with the various inventions, gadgets and tools that he had made, were all gone. The solar-powered artillery cannon system along with the sunlight minigun from his early fascination with solar power had all vanished. The electromagnetic pulse generator had also disappeared.

 

The Golem was still intact. It was undisturbed in the corner. The gleam in the armour was there as always, and its shadow cast an ominous gloom over that section of the workshop.

 

Domovoi wondered what went on, until he saw a goblin in a hazardous material suit. Powow was carrying a heavy engine that Domovoi had made a few years ago-meant for propelling carts. It didn’t take off because of the sheer intricacy of the machinery, and manufacturing. 

 

“What’s up, Powow?” Domovoi asked the Goblin. Powow’s mask had fogged up from the condensation of his breath. He went to Powow’s aid, helping him carry the engine. Powow signaled a refusal. He was exceptionally strong, even for a Goblin.

 

“Nothing much, sir. I’m just working on the thing that I mentioned the other time.” 

 

Powow lugged it down to the Underground workshop, and returned.

 

“Whatcha working on?” Domovoi asked jokingly, “Something for the Goblin Resistance?”

 

Powow looked at him blankly. He wondered if Domovoi was joking, it would have been odd for him to have found out so easily.

 

“Wait, really?!” Domovoi exclaimed.

 

“No sir, not the Goblin Resistance, but for a resistance nonethe-“

 

There was a knocking on the door. Powow and Domovoi looked at each other. They nodded knowingly. Domovoi gestured for Powow to get back to the underground laboratory.

 

“Sir, Prince Domovoi, the King calls for an emergency meeting.” 

 

“Yes, yes, I’m coming.”

 

Domovoi then knocked on the trapdoor.

 

“Powow, whatever you have planned, watch the magic mirror, I’ve enchanted it to follow whatever happens to me,” Domovoi then cast a spell on the mirror. It showed an image of him.

 

“Yes sir,” Powow hollered back.

 

“Also, shatter and break the mirror into small shards once you’re done, left the lab, or in general ran away.”

 

Powow understood. Domovoi then headed out of his Laboratory, perhaps for the last time.

 

Something big was going to happen, and the Golem’s shadow was cast on the Prodigal Prince, as he walked out of the room.

 

_________________________

 

Domovoi and Joshua were assembled before the King in the Throne Room. Domovoi noticed that there were a few additions in the room. An Elven man was standing beside the King to the right of the Throne of Boltheim, and Lieutenant Diane was standing at the door, acting as a scribe, or so he assumed.

 

“Father,” Domovoi and Joshua bowed to the King.

 

Joshua then took out his folder of documents. He was still dressed in full armour, probably just recently came back to the castle after a shift of looking for Ariel and Artemis.

 

“What is the progress of the search for the Angel and the Half?” Alaric requested. His tone seemed gentle, but it was deceivingly so.

 

“It’s not going very well, father,” Joshua reported, a bit sheepishly, “I think that they are using magical Abjuration and Enchantments to evade our troops.”

 

Alaric then shifted his attention to Domovoi. Magic was his expertise during discussions like these. Domovoi was reluctant to speak, but he had to.

 

“I have given them many anti-magic equipment, possibly some that would be able to break the enchantments that these fugitives might be using,” Domovoi lied.

 

“Except that one of these fugitives is an Angel. Angels are powerful.” Alaric replied coldly.

 

“If I may, Father. By the Allia Agreement, imprisonment of an Angel is a transgression of the treaty. It might bring war onto Boltheim,” Joshua argued.

 

The Elven man, Shiv, took out a knife and zoomed to Joshua’s position. He then pointed the serrated blade to Joshua’s neck. Joshua was frozen still.

Alaric gestured for Shiv to stand down. Shiv nodded, and sheathed his blade.

 

“I see that you’ve met Shiv,” Alaric pointed to the Elven Man. Domovoi looked at Shiv, who had a scar on his face. He had features befitting an elf-Hair as black as night, and the pronounced facial features. His nose was crooked, probably from repeated fractures. Domovoi could feel the tension and the magical power radiating from the Elf. 

 

Shiv returned to his place at Alaric’s side.

 

Joshua could do nothing but stare at his father. Lieutenant Diane shifted her glasses up. Her long, blonde hair flowed as she watched the proceedings.

 

“Precisely why I’m intending to keep it hush hush and get the Angel back here,” Alaric said coldly.

 

“Father, I have also come to report something. I’ve locked the Golem Up, and I intend to discontinue the project once and for all.”

 

Alaric simply stared at Domovoi with a blank look. The look that he gave Domovoi would have indicated that he had just seen his son vomit frogs. Alaric and Shiv then broke out laughing, as if Domovoi had said the funniest thing in all of Allia.

 

The tension in the air was heavy. 

 

Alaric broke it, with a single punctuated word. His eyes looked dangerous.

 

“No.”

 

Domovoi couldn’t help but be nervous. What did his father mean?

 

“What?”

 

“No,” Alaric repeated. 

 

“What do you _mean_ ‘no’?” Domovoi said slowly.

 

“The armour will go to Shiv to detect the Angel and the Half, and he will use lethal force if needed, to get back what escaped from our dungeons.”

 

Alaric’s tone didn’t allude to any amount of danger. His words didn’t hint to anything painful or powerful. Domovoi knew that his father had officially gotten angry.

 

“But _Father_ , to use an Elven troop in human lands, just for your own personal agenda…that is madness!” Joshua protested. He was still reeling from shock that someone would attempt to stab a knife into his neck.

 

“Not to mention, I will not help,” Domovoi said quietly, “I have already locked up the systems of the Golem a long time ago.”

 

“Do you intend to go against my orders, Domovoi Bolt?” asked Alaric.

 

Domovoi nodded. He had every intention to do so. The man in the throne was The King Of Boltheim, but he was no longer his father.

 

“Mmhm,” Shiv sneered. He then clicked his fingers. The sound of metal on stone echoed into the distance. Domovoi and Joshua looked around. Shiv moved his left hand in motions, as if he were gesturing for something to come closer. Domovoi recognised the spell stance. He was summoning something.

 

The Golem armour clattered down the hallway at a high speed. The sound slowly got closer and closer, until the armour pieces all came and assembled itself into the behemoth of an armour in the throne room.

 

Domovoi could only look on in horror, as he felt himself collapse slowly onto the ground. His knees buckled, as he realised that his own invention was going to be his undoing.

 

Shiv then drew a sword, and charged at the now helpless Domovoi. Joshua then drew his sword, parrying the stab from Shiv.

 

Shiv then commanded the armour to assemble around him. He levitated up in the air, as the Golem’s armour pieces fit onto Shiv perfectly. Shiv then threw Joshua to the side. Joshua hit the wall with a heavy thud, but he was physically okay, his armour still holding up.

 

The Golem towered over Domovoi, and the entire throne room. Domovoi continued to stare at his own creation, the magic suit of armour now turned against him. 

 

“It can’t be,” he whispered to himself. He tried to find a logical and possible way that the Golem fell from his control, but his mind wasn’t working. He felt defeated, for the first time in a long time. He felt shattered, seeing one of his own weapons in front of his eyes. He felt his own tears burn in his eyes, he was on his arms and legs.

 

Shiv took off the helmet of the armour, staring down at the helpless prince. Joshua drew his sword, rushing in front of his brother.

 

“Any bright ideas?” Joshua asked, facing the enemy. He expected Domovoi to recover, and to help him fight. Domovoi didn’t budge from his position. 

 

“Here’s one, Prince! Stay _out_ of the way,” Shiv shrieked, as he swung an arm to push Joshua away again. He then lifted his fist, aimed at Domovoi.

 

“Shiv, stop it right _NOW_!” The King bellowed. Shiv stopped his punch.

 

Alaric then walked towards Joshua, inspecting his younger son’s wounds. He then bellowed, with his hands around his mouth.

 

“GUARDS!” The King shouted. A torrent of castle guardsmen came in. King Alaric gestured to Domovoi.

 

They then proceeded to surround Domovoi. They seized him by the underarms, and awaited further instructions from the King. 

 

“Throw him into the dungeons, and make sure he is in the anti-magic wards,” Alaric Bolt said quietly. The throne room fell silent. The guards nodded their obedience.

________________________

 

Domovoi had his eyes closed. He struggled with his body. He felt his arms and legs chained up. He tried to channel some magic energy into them to release himself from the chains. He felt the magic go dead in his body. 

 

He opened his eyes, the room his was in was dim and cold. He was in the dungeons. He cold and in the dark. He was chained up to the wall, and he didn’t have any of his inventions or anything. He was powerless, and he was trapped.

 

Domovoi sighed, as he observed his surroundings. He had no way out of this situation, and he didn’t have any hope. He would hold out anyway. He knew that his brother wouldn’t let him stay in the dungeons like this. Joshua must have gotten the memo from Diane Rosewood. Joshua would never allow for their father to commit such atrocities. Domovoi had also told Liliana to contact him every few hours. 

 

He was alone, for now. His magnum opus, the Golem, was out in the open and being controlled by a maniac under orders of a tyrant. 

 

He had to pray for Joshua to help.

 

__________________________

 

Liliana stood over her divining mirror in her study. She had been observing Domovoi Bolt as soon as he had left the Cottage. She was a diviner, a mage of the divine and mystical arts. She had specialised in the magic of finding information from the mysterious world beyond. She had the powers to contact others, observe them, and derive information from said observations.

 

No one was told the entire plan. Domovoi was shrewd that way, and Liliana understood that.

 

She spied on the entire conversation between Domovoi and Alaric. She then saw an Elf piloting an enormous suit of armour. She wondered what it had been, but she had an extremely bad feeling about it. The armour radiated a dark magic. Magic that hadn’t been seen so openly for many years. Magic with terrible power. The Armour was necromantic in nature.

 

There wasn’t much time left. She emerged hurriedly from the study. Ariel and Artemis were startled. Liliana then pumped more of her magic into the barriers and abjurations. She had to buy them all time to get into the basement to hide.

 

“Girls, it’s not safe here,” She said in an urgent tone. Ariel’s wings fluttered, she propelled herself off the ground briefly in surprise and shock. Artemis nodded nervously. They both understood. 

 

The old woman, her hairs as white as the moon and discoloured with age and experience, brought her Elder Staff up. She then started pushing energy out of herself, into the staff. The staff vibrated violently in her hand, but she kept her grip tight. The Jewel at the top of the staff glowed a bright green. She felt all the magic she could muster flow through her veins and her body. She pushed as much as she could into the barriers, and countless spells that she had put up.

 

Ariel’s eyes and wings glowed, each feather luminous and bright as the stars against the night sky. Artemis boosted the power of Liliana’s spells. 

 

Artemis watched in awe, as Ariel slowly hovered downwards, eventually landing on the floor. She caught Liliana, who was collapsing from the overwhelming spell. Artemis carried both of them down into the basement.

 

She then took Ragnarok and Justice in her hands. She fastened the legendary shield Justice, as stalwart and tough as in the legends, onto her left arm. She tied the sheath of Ragnarok onto her belt, the blade as sharp and strong as the myths.

 

She prepared herself.

 

_________________

 

Joshua rushed down the corridor, into the Research block, Domovoi’s usual stomping grounds. He then knocked as hard as he could on the door to the main workshop, he had no time to waste. He could apologise to Domovoi later on, after he got him out of the jail cell. Joshua noticed that there were holes in the walls. They must have been made by the armor pieces summoned by Shiv.

 

Powow opened the door to the workshop.

 

“Powow!” Joshua exclaimed. He was happy to see the little Goblin. He had always been a loyal follower of Domovoi. Powow drew a knife, and pointed it at Joshua. Joshua was stunned. 

 

“I’m sorry, Sir Joshua, I am ordered by the Prince to protect the workshop from anyone,” the Goblin said. He was shaking, obviously from fear. Powow had been feeling he guilt of not being able to tell Domovoi that he was in for an ambush.

 

Joshua knew that he had to handle this delicately. Powow was most definitely not in a good place right now, emotionally. He wondered if there was guilt running through the Goblin’s head.

 

“Listen, Powow. I need your help to break Dom out, but I’m not going to be able to do it alone without enough firepower.”

 

Joshua kept his eyes locked onto the Goblin’s. Powow wondered if to trust Prince Joshua. Powow thought back to the times where Prince Joshua would always greet him warmly. 

 

“Can I really trust you, sir?” Powow asked meekly. His eyes were red and watery. He was tormented, and he wanted desperately to help Domovoi. Powow blamed himself so much, on the inside. He knew that Domovoi was in a jail cell, chained up, and all because of him.

 

Prince Joshua nodded.

 

Powow then decided to take the risk. He left the door ajar, allowing Prince Joshua entry to the Workshop.

 

__________________

Domovoi roused himself from unconsciousness. He heard the footsteps of two people walking into the hallway of the Dungeons. Domovoi then heard the sweet sound of salvation-the cling-clang of keys. He heard his lock make a click, as the door opened.

 

“Am I late, brother?” Domovoi heard the voice of Joshua. Domovoi smiled, he noticed that behind Joshua, Powow had accompanied, armed with an Electricity Gun that Domovoi had made. It shot jets of Lightning, derived from a static electricity reaction from an extremely quick friction burst between Boltheimium and Flint.

 

Domovoi shook his head in reply to Joshua. Powow and Joshua spread out, unlocking the cuffs on Domovoi’s wrists and ankles. Domovoi was released onto the floor. He smiled gratefully.

 

“I think you’re just about on time, Joshua. Those cuffs were starting to chafe,” Domovoi commented jokingly. He rubbed his wrists together, the red marks that had formed stung a bit, but bearable. He knew that it wouldn’t be the first injury of the day.

 

Powow looked guiltily at the marks on his master’s wrists. Domovoi picked up on this.

 

“What’s the matter, Powow?” Domovoi asked. Powow then bowed down to him, apologising and asking for forgiveness. The goblin jabbered nonstop, shooting apologies rapidly. Powow then related the story of how the King had threatened to kill him on the spot if he had informed Domovoi. Domovoi then went to his knees, bringing himself to Powow’s eye level. He then hugged the guilt ridden goblin tightly.

 

Powow looked at Domovoi like a wounded dog. Domovoi then pat Powow on the head lightly, as a show of affection.

 

“I don’t blame you, my friend. So please be at ease,” Domovoi said calmly. 

 

Powow slowly calmed down, taking deep breaths. He then stopped talking, tears brimming from his eyes nonstop. Powow felt an enormous amount of relief from being forgiven.

 

“Gentlemen, we need to get out of the castle quickly, and we need a place to hide,” Joshua briefed. He was so used to being a Paladin, he was honestly a bit confused on how to act the part. 

 

Domovoi tried to spark a bit of magic from his fingertips, to test out the amount of energy he had left. He felt the familiar flow of magic in his body, but he couldn’t release it. The anti-magic cells were working their…magic, so to speak. He then shook his head at Joshua. 

 

“I have access to the Underground in the Workshops, but if Father is any the wiser, he probably has some of his own personal guards there,” Domovoi noted. 

 

“Then we can escape,” Joshua argued. The Underground pathways were numerous, and most of the manpower had already been stretched and worn thin by the search aboveground. 

 

“I need to get somewhere, Joshua. Father would surely have released that Elf in my Golem Armour, and he would then attempt to recapture the Angel,” Domovoi said firmly. He would not allow Alaric and Shiv any more time. They would surely go after Artemis and Ariel.

 

Domovoi and Joshua’s interests were conflicted. Powow had stayed silent, calming himself down from his outburst. He then piped up again, knowing that he had to relieve the tensions, and reconcile the interests of the brothers.

 

“I have a plan, but we need to get to the workshops.”

 

Domovoi and Joshua both stared at the Goblin incredulously. Powow shuffled his feet nervously. He had prepared the contingency plans, but he didn’t expect to use them so soon.

 

“What are we _waiting_ for!? Let’s get going then!” Domovoi exclaimed. Powow then led the way. They left the prison cell quickly, the door swinging out. Joshua was right behind the minute goblin, with his sword at the ready. 

 

Domovoi was led by Joshua and Powow by the path that they took to get to him. He noticed the number of prison guards that had been knocked out. He wondered how they had been knocked out non-lethally, until he noticed the Powow was using the Electricity Gun. Domovoi was impressed. The Electricity gun had been theorised to be a weapon that was close to always lethal. Powow made his own adjustments.

 

They turned and twisted through the many corridors, careful to avoid Paladins or Guards roaming around the castle. Domovoi wondered what the Goblin’s plan was.

 

They reached the Workshop, Domovoi noticed the holes in the wall, sighing as they entered. The workshop was barren, and he wondered if they had all been stolen by the King.

 

“Did they?” Domovoi looked around. All the various items and artifacts were gone. Powow then shook his head happily. The little victories mattered, and he recognised that.

 

The trio continued into the workshop, finally finding the trapdoor to the underground. Powow then led down downwards, by a ladder. They slowly climbed down into the Dark pits. 

 

They then slowly stepped down. Powow then flipped a switch on, the Underground space then lit up, revealing a gigantic hangar. The space was vast, and Domovoi had forgotten how spacious the underground pathways were. Powow then ran around the place, turning on lights and engines, the familiar hum of the Workshop.

 

“See, sir. When you mentioned that dangerous times were coming, and how you detested your father’s actions, I decided to start building an underground section to make sure that we would have a back up facility when something bad destroys our main lab,” Powow explained to Joshua and Domovoi. Domovoi listened, as he looked around. The underground workshop had the many instruments and equipment that the normal one did. There was even a link to the Blacksmiths.

 

A gigantic ship-like structure was in that space. It had wings the wingspan of many buildings, and they were folded up. The Ship-Like Structure had the shape of a bird, and it was coloured a bright red on the top, and a dark blue on its underside.

 

Domovoi recognised the huge ship. 

 

It was the Ornithopter, except on a life-sized scale. He looked awestruck at it, and then over to the goblin, who was whooping happily. Domovoi then noticed that it was made painstakingly with the same attention to detail as the drawings that he did before. There was a name painted on it, on the top-‘Phoenix’

 

“You did all this yourself?!” Domovoi exclaimed. 

 

The goblin nodded.

 

“Well, not by MYSELF. I got old Jonathan Bec to help with all the forging parts, and I had the help of the Gauntlets of Strength and Boots of Speed, your old inventions, but other than that, yes!”

 

Domovoi looked dumbstruck, and for once, he was speechless.

 

He walked into the Ornithopter Phoenix, and he saw most of his inventions in a huge common room. There were about four bed rooms, and a bathroom. There was also a small library with about two bookshelves worth. Everything was ready to be lived in.

 

“Well, then what are we waiting for?!” Joshua shouted urgently.

 

Powow then shuffled his feet. There was a catch, and Domovoi understood almost instantly.

 

“Fuel.”

 

Powow nodded sadly.

 

“I haven’t been able to test it out, and I wasn’t too sure how to adapt it to Hallowed Spheres.”

 

The Goblin pulled out a Hallowed Sphere from one of the bookshelves. It had been stored in a handsome mahogany box. It was the same energy sphere that Alaric Bolt had given to the Research Block a while back. 

 

Domovoi smiled, as he held the sphere in his hands. He felt the Magic Flow, and he let it flow.

 

He then deposited the Sphere into the main engine, an adapted version of the Engine he had in his workshop. He had a mad smile on his face, as if he had just discovered something yet again.

 

“Then we find out!” Domovoi smiled. He then activated some controls, as the Hallowed Sphere lit up. Energy flowed through out the Ornithopter, as Powow and Joshua hung onto something.

 

_______________________


	11. Chapter 11-Death

Shiv flew in the sky, riding through the clouds in the Golem armour. He was flying with aid of his magic, and the King’s magic, levitating and soaring. He had a mission to go after the escapees, and he knew that there would most definitely be protective barriers of some sort. A physical wall? A protection forcefield? Shiv knew that it would most definitely be fun to hear the screams of pain, coming from people when they run away. He enjoyed the havoc. He enjoyed the fires burning all around. He enjoyed con

 

He had been there for the War of the Great Misunderstanding. The war between Merfolk and Elven people. He was a Commando, designed to infiltrate the beaches and Merfolk trading ports. He remembered burning and looting the wooden huts. He remembered the Mermen and Mermaids trying to flee back into the sea, their temporary homes of wood and seaweed destroyed by him, and he especially loved the looks on their faces as he cast a gigantic wall of flame to prevent them escaping. Shiv loved to see them suffer, and mewl in pain and distress.

 

 He was a man designed to be the perfect soldier, trained to be a man of war. He served his training well. He enjoyed the killing, the death and suffering of war. 

He enjoyed the blood on his hands. He enjoyed wartime.

 

He wasn’t a man of peacetimes, and when he heard of the Peace Treaty that the Humans brokered between the Elves and Merfolk, he started a bar fight with a scholar. He had killed the Elven scholar with his bare hands, in rage. Shiv was exiled from from the Elven cities, never to return. He then pleaded and became a Black Ops Operative for the Elves, given orders to spy on any and all of the races of Allia. He had infiltrated the Humans, until he was caught.

 

Here he was. He was in a suit of armour, powered by a foolish Human boy’s dreams and aspirations. The necromantic energy from a thousand souls in unrest flowed throughout the ‘Golem’. Shiv reveled in this. He had wielded a bit of Necromancy for a while, before it bit back at him. Shiv had always admired the power of Necromancy. Most Wizards and Mages suffer from ‘summoning sickness’, a sickness from expending too much magic at one go. They would get headaches, fevers and sometimes even go into a deep slumber for a full day or two, just to recover.

 

Shiv heard a beep. The armour had found its mark. The abjurations and barriers were merely a speed bump.

 

Shiv let himself fall, propelling himself towards where the escapees were. He felt the spirits in the Golems scream and cackle. He screamed along with them, feeling the agony of crushing pain. He realised something terrifying about the armour. It had reacted to his bloodlust, his thirst for murder. 

 

He wasn’t in control anymore.

 

“STOP!” He screamed in agony, as he felt the armour flying towards a cottage, a house secluded from the rest of the village.

 

“PLEASE.” Shiv continued screaming, pleading and begging as the power of the Golem took over. He was losing his grip of control.

 

“Don’t stop,” He heard his voice say, as if ordering the Golem to not stop flying.

 

________________________

 

The Gear Cottage didn’t know what hit them. They just knew that the magical barriers and the spells protecting them, the abjurations and enchantments, were all entirely and totally nullified. Liliana looked to Ariel and Artemis, both of them were shaken up. They were in the study room. Liliana was weakened, she could feel her heartbeat quicken as she stayed on the floor. The side effects for the magical barriers were starting to kick in. 

 

There was no time to rest up from a headache or faintness. Ariel and Artemis went to each side of Liliana, helping to walk to the back door. Artemis had Ragnarok by her side on her belt and Justice on her back.

 

“OHHHH ANGEL?” they heard a maniac voice screech. He was after Ariel. The voice sounded terrible, as if he were possessed. They heard the heavy clanking of metal, as if there were a giant suit of armour trampling on the Gear Cottage. They put Liliana down into a chair in the study. It was not time to escape. Their route was blocked.

 

They then heard an absolutely dreadful cackling. His voice seemed to be layered with numerous other voices cackling at the same time. Artemis drew Ragnarok, and pulled out Justice. The Unstoppable Sword shone with a light of radiance, the Immovable Shield shone with along with it. Artemis went into the living room, the roof almost completely torn apart by a behemoth of a suit of armour. The Golem radiated a purple aura, its paint tinged with Black on the sides. It was a menancing, horrific sight to behold. Its limbs were the size of huge pillars, its body was the size of a horse cart. The Golem stood in the living room, wrecking the kitchen, and the cottage.

 

Artemis held her breath, as she charged with Ragnarok. She had managed to pierce through one of the limbs, to no avail. Shiv set his sights on Artemis, and cackles. 

 

“OH LITTLE HALVEN GIRL, COME HERE.”

 

Shiv moved the armour towards her, and he charged and intended to punch the tiny human into the ground with the enhanced strength. He raised his fist, as Artemis drew her shield close to her, bracing for impact. She was afraid. The Golem looked menacing, and definitely more than capable of squashing her flatter than an Elvish Flatbread.

 

“Don’t be afraid, Artemis. I’ll protect you,” she heard the calming and soothing voice of Andris Shieldbearer. She believed in him, as she held the Justice shield up.

 

Shiv was then pushed to the left, he had been hit by a gigantic push of magical force. He looked to his right, as he got off the ground. He was then pushed to the right, this time hit by something to his left. 

 

He looked up, as he got off the ground again. Artemis had gone from in front of him. He then looked up, as he saw the shimmering and shining wings of an Angel flew out non-existent ceiling. Ariel had carried Artemis and Liliana out of the study. Ariel then landed them outside of the house a short distance away, her wings tiring from carrying such a huge load.

 

Liliana was severely weakened. The Magic Force push had taken a lot of her energy. Ariel tried to heal her, her hands glowing a bright white. The healing didn’t seem to work. Liliana was weak.

 

“Ariel, get Liliana out of here. Get to a safe place!” Artemis ordered the Angel. Artemis could see the gigantic armour thing coming over. She readied her shield.

 

“But, sister Artemis!” Ariel protested. Facing off that monstrous being was going to take more than a Sword and Shield. Ariel could not leave Artemis alone like this.

 

“Ariel, please. Just get to a safe place. I’ll be alright. Domovoi will come soon and provide backup,” Artemis smiled. She hugged the young angel tightly.

 

Ariel nodded, as she propped Liliana with one shoulder, as they walked away.

 

_____________________________

 

When should she stop observing, and step in, wondered Santelia. It was tensing up, as she saw her angelic brethren assist with the humans. She wasn’t authorised to interfere, not yet.

 

Santelia could see the demonic, infernal suit of armour destroying the cottage. She saw the young half-elven girl charging towards the gigantic suit of armour. She saw the amount of dead criminals clinging onto the armour. Domovoi had bound the spirits to the armour.

 

Santelia prepared her bow and arrow. Perhaps she would interfere later, should it get dire. Santelia sighed, wondering why Domovoi had to be the one casting the forbidden arts of Necromancy. She had no choice but to stop him later, if it came to it. It was the law of Allia. Necromancy was a banned magic for a good reason.

 

 

_____________________________

 

“MOVE OUT AND SEARCH THE WORKSHOP FOR POWOW OR DOMOVOI!” 

 

Domovoi and Joshua looked at each other. Domovoi’s break out from the dungeons had been discovered. The brothers could hear trampling of boots in the workshop above them. They needed to escape now with the Ornithopter.

 

Powow looked at the Princes. He nodded at them, as he took the Electric Stun gun from the inventions. 

 

“Prince Domovoi, it has been an absolute pleasure serving with you,” Powow said. His tone was soft, and resigned. Powow bowed down to Domovoi, before hugging the human prince.

 

He then opened a hatch.

 

“Wait, what are you doing?!” Domovoi exclaimed. He hoped that Powow wasn’t intending to really do what he thought he was doing.

 

Powow nodded. He knew that Domovoi had already figured out what he was intending on doing.

 

“I’m going to stall them, and in that time, you get the machine calibrated to the Hallowed Sphere as an energy source,” Powow said. His tone came off as almost an order. Domovoi was impressed that Powow had finally gathered the courage. 

 

“But they’ll KILL you!” 

 

Powow was his closest friend, and Domovoi knew enough of the little Goblin to know that he wouldn’t let up.

 

“Domovoi, sir. If you don’t save the Angel, who knows how many more your father will attempt to kill?

 

Domovoi silently cast a magic spell on the Goblin. His hands glowed with red. He then touched the goblin, granting the goblin strength and speed beyond what he would normally be able to do. The power flowed through him, his little goblin body pumping blood faster than ever.

 

“Give them hell.”

 

Powow smiled at Domovoi.

 

“Definitely, Dom.”

 

Powow leaped out of the Ornithopter, as Joshua and Domovoi rushed to the engine room. 

 

________________________

 

Powow crept out of the trapdoor onto the surface, the main workshop. He then slowly slithered and sneak to where the water barrels were. They contained water that Domovoi used in his experiments, and to drink. There were about a half-dozen of the barrels left, presumably all full. He then loosened the taps for each of the barrels.

 

Powow made carefully sure to stay off the floor , as he stood on a table.

 

“Hey EVERYONE!” He shouted, attracting the attention of all the soldiers. The soldiers all rushed to where he was. Powow then threw a barrel onto the floor, shattering the wood and soaking the soldiers in water. Powow then smiled.

 

“I hope you like getting wet!” Powow chuckled, as he looked at the confused faces of the footsoldiers.

 

Powow then shot electricity out of the stun gun, onto the floor. The soaked soldiers were shocked by the water conducting the electricity. This was his chance to escape. They would only be stunned for half an hour or so.

 

Powow then dashed out of the workshop, grabbing his cloak. He was careful in avoiding the maids and soldiers and servants. He had to escape.

 

Powow jumped into one of the openings to the underground tunnels, hiding.

_______________________

 

Domovoi jumped from machine to machine within the engine room. The engines seemed to be fully capable of making the wings of the ornithopter flap. They needed an energy source, and it was an easy matter to rewire the machines to accept the sheer magical power of the Hallowed Sphere.

 

Domovoi wondered how long the sphere would be able to power the Ornithopter. He decided that it didn’t matter, as he pumped some energy into the engines with his own magic. That seemed to do the trick, as the wings started flapping.

 

Domovoi then ran up to the bridge, as he activated the start up. Everything about the ornithopter was a perfect replica of everything he had envisioned. 

 

“Do you know how to fly this thing, Dom?” Joshua asked, as he looked out the windows. 

 

“Let’s find out.”

 

The Ornithopter started flapping forward, propelling the entire machine out of the tunnel, and out to the cliff-side, by the sea. This tunnel had led to the seaside of Boltheim. The entire ship then started to fall into the sea.

 

Joshua looked panicked, as he stared at his brother.

 

“DOM, WE’RE GOING TO FALL!”

 

Domovoi frantically worked the cranks and levers, finding a way to lift the entire ornithopter. They were falling from the high cliff, down and down. The nose of the ship was about to hit the rocks below, before Domovoi found a function that Powow had built in. He then pulled the wheel down, the Ornithopter flapped its way up. They skimmed the waves of the sea, achieving flight.

 

Joshua looked shell shocked, as he held onto one of the chairs in the bridge. Domovoi had brought the Phoenix into cruising. 

 

“You don’t know how to fly this bloody thing, do you?!” Joshua shouted angrily at Domovoi.

 

“Nonsense,” Domovoi replied, as he set the ornithopter to climb in altitude. They flew around, as Domovoi got to accustom himself to the controls.

 

Joshua observed out the window, as Domovoi piloted the Ornithopter. He then pointed at a smoke trail in the distance.

 

“That’s where Grandma lives, isn’t it? That area?” Joshua commented, curious as to what was going on there.

 

Domovoi knew. The Golem in the hands of the murderous elf had found Ariel and Artemis. He then set course for the smoke trails in the distance. Domovoi prayed that Shiv had not already gotten his hands onto them.

 

__________________________

 

Artemis continued to spar with Shiv. She parried his punches with a combination of timely jumps out of the way. Andris had taken over a bit of her body. She could still control her actions, but Andris moved her shield up when he powerful punch came into their way. The Justice shield would take every hit and absorb it. 

 

Andris and Artemis were in sync. 

 

“NOW!” They both shouted, as they jumped onto the leg of the behemoth. They then cut the helmet open, the helmet coming off into two pieces, revealing the scarred face of Shiv.

 

Shiv’s eyes were otherworldly. They were a bright yellow, not unlike a cat’s eyes. His hair was matted and extremely messy. Both Andris and Artemis landed onto the grassy land of the backyard, staring into them. The cackling and shrieks from the armour continued. Shiv screamed in agony, as if he were mortally wounded by the helm coming off.

 

Artemis felt extremely unnerved by his eyes. They seemed to mesmerise in a way. She felt the darkness in him, the amount of hatred, suffering and pain. She wondered how she knew all that. She felt her grip on the shield and sword loosen a bit.

 

Shiv screamed in anger, charging at her with a punch. Artemis had stayed rooted in that position for far too long. Andris worked to move her shield arm to take the hit. Artemis was pushed away a slight distance.

 

Shiv then conjured up a gigantic sword from the remnants of the helm. He transmuted and transformed the helm into a sword, half his own size. He then held it with two hands, akin to the Eastern Boltheim way of sword-fighting. He then charged at her, swinging wildly with the sword.

 

He then found Artemis, as he swung the enormous blade down on her. Artemis shielded up, managing to take the hit. The shield then fell out of her hands, clattering and landing a slight distance away. Shiv saw this, as he started to take swings at Artemis again. 

 

“ARTEMIS PICK THE SHIELD UP!” Andris screamed at her, as she dodged his hits by running behind cover. 

 

“No time for that, Andris,” she replied.

 

Artemis stopped. The armour seemed to have disappeared for a moment. Shiv then cackled, as he appeared behind her. He then moved the hefty arms of the armour, preparing a punch. He then punched Artemis a distance away. 

 

Artemis recovered. She felt some of her bones cracking, but she had to continue, if only to distract the Golem for a bit more.

 

She then saw a giant flying machine above. It then landed right where the Golem was, pinning it into the ground.

 

Then out of a door from the back, emerged Joshua and Domovoi Bolt. They both saw her, and immediately rushed to her. Domovoi helped Artemis up with one of his arms, and noticed that she had been hit pretty hard.

 

“Are you okay, Artie?” he asked, his hands started to glow as he prepared to heal her.

 

“A bit beaten up,” she replied, her breathing laboured. Domovoi then placed his hands on her, as the bones reset themselves into place. Her natural healing was quickened thousandfold, as the bones and the broken skin started to heal back into place. 

 

She looked gratefully at Domovoi.

 

“Thanks, Dombomb,” she said, as she picked up the Justice shield.

 

“Where’s Ariel? And Grandma?” he asked hurriedly. He had hoped that Shiv hadn’t gotten to Ariel.

 

Artemis gestured in the opposite direction, in the short distance. She saw the shimmering, unmistakeable of an Angel.

 

“She’s not doing too well, Liliana. So I had Ariel bring her a distance away from this battle,” She explained. She then fastened the Justice shield onto her arm, and drew the Ragnarok sword.

 

“Alright. I’ll go see what I can do. Joshua, you and Artemis try to hold off the Golem while I try to get Grandma back up on her feet,” Domovoi ordered.

 

“Isn’t it gone?! It’s pinned under the weight of your flying machine!” exclaimed Joshua. He didn’t believe that the weight of such an immense flying machine wouldn’t be able to totally destroy the armour.

 

“Not for long,” Domovoi said grimly.

 

Domovoi had understood what the Golem was capable of, especially in the hands of a powerful wizard. He had no doubt in his head that Shiv would be able to get past a heavy ship on the armour. Shiv would definitely be knocked out for a short while, but whether he would STAY knocked out, that was the worrying bit.

 

“Understood,” Artemis said. She then ran back into the fray. Joshua followed, his sword drawn as well. 

 

Domovoi rushed towards where the Angel was. He had hoped that his grandmother wouldn’t be too hurt.

 

________________________

 

“GRANDMA!” Domovoi rushed to his grandmother’s side, as she lay on the grassy plains. She laid down with her staff by her side, and Ariel trying to alleviate her suffering.

 

“She’s going soon,” Ariel explained. 

 

Liliana Gear coughed, she could feel her own body breaking down on her. 

 

“It’s time, isn’t it?” She whispered, she tried to force a quick chuckle, to no avail.

 

“Don’t say that. Don’t ever say that!” Domovoi said, hugging Liliana.

 

“Listen, Dom. There isn’t time. I’m going to die soon, and I want you to have this.” 

 

Liliana grabbed at her staff. She held onto the staff with her hands, and passed it to Domovoi, Domovoi bowed to his grandmother, his mistress of magic, as he accepted it into his hand. The light in the staff glowed a dim light. Domovoi started to feel waves upon waves of magical power come to his body. The power started to flow and flow through his body, rejuvenating him and filling him up with magic. He felt it all within him, the power seemed so familiar.

 

“You know how you’ve always felt that you were meant for more? How you always ask me why your magical potential felt strong, but you could only make use of it?” 

 

Domovoi nodded. His eyes brimmed with tears, but he kept his eyes on his grandmother. He understood what she whispered.

 

“That’s because, your own magical potential WAS strong. It was so strong, that it warped all the magic in the area. You would leech off everyone else’s magic, or you would end up gravitating all that power around you. So, I had your magic sealed away from you when you became my apprentice. I had your magic slowly find you, and you would slowly learn how to wield your own power.”

 

“Was that…is that why my magic is still limited?” Domovoi asked. He knew that his magic was strong. He didn’t know that his magic was limited. 

 

Liliana nodded, before she continued.

 

“Very few people have such mastery over magic. Very few people could master a handful of magical disciplines. You could master almost everything, and then some. The sheer variety and strength of your magic.”

 

“How will I ever learn to control all that without your teachings, Grandma?” 

 

Liliana touched a hand onto her grandson’s cheek.

 

“My dearest, do you remember every single lesson that I’ve given you? Do you remember what I would tell you every single time?” she whispered endearingly, a tear flowed down the side of her face. She smiled hard.

 

“Yes, grandma. ‘A wizard is responsible for their spell, always responsible. No matter the power or usage of it. He or she is always responsible,’ ” said Domovoi. 

 

“So long as you never forget that, Domovoi. So long as you never forget that about yourself, you will never be led astray. You will do good,” she said proudly. 

 

The Staff’s glow started to flicker.

 

Domovoi held his grandmother’s hand on his.

 

“Tell Joshua that I love him, alright?” Liliana whispered. 

 

Domovoi nodded.

 

“Dom, I love you, my dearest grandson. Do yourself proud.” 

 

Liliana closed her eyes for the last time.

 

__________________________

 

“I need help,” whispered Powow.

 

“I told you before, Powow. I can let you walk free, but I cannot be spotted helping you. Especially not now!” The blonde Paladin said.

 

Powow nodded. 

 

He then saw Diane Rosewood walk into the distance, blending back into the crowds. He was to be alone to save the resistance.

 

__________________________


	12. Chapter 12-What is Good, not Lawful

“Take a seat on the table,” Rawrwa said, directing the young goblin man to her operating table. He had an arrow pierced through his leg. He had trouble walking to her hut, but he managed it. A hunting incident, she hypothesised.

Rawrwa walked around her small hut. She traced her fingers on the wall, as she walked towards her shelf of ingredients. There were three candles, each representing one of her comrades. The flames were each lit a different colour. Their fire burned indefinitely, being a magical spell to monitor the life signs of her friends at any time.  
The first candle was lit red, a shade of deep blood red to represent the humans. The second candle was lit a bright blue, to represent the merfolk. The last candle was lit green, to represent the elves.   
She then walked past the candles, to her stack of ingredients. Each ingredient bottled up and stocked atop shelves and shelves. Rawrwa truly did take pride in her collection of magical reagents. She highly doubted that even Fayern or Liliana had Cockatrice Gizzard or Tyrannosaurus Scales. Then again, she knew the both of them to be more heavily invested in their abjurations or divinations respectively. Rawrwa personally loved her own brewing of potions.

She was a goblin woman, afterall.

Rawrwa was the Chief Shamans of the goblins. She was one of the strongest shamans in the goblin villages, and even members of other goblin communities would defer to her for advice. She was also one of the youngest.

She prepared her reagents for a simple leg panacea, a cure for the young goblin’s nerve and tissue damage from the arrow. 

“How long has it been since your injury?” she asked. Goblin men were known to only come to the healers and shamans of their various tribes or villages when they couldn’t take the pain anymore. This young man’s injury was badly infected, with pus everywhere near the injury.

“It has been a week, Shaman.” 

She tutted loudly, as she prepared the panacea. She smashed the ingredients in her mortar and pestle, as she added sugar for taste. She then threw the puree into her cauldron, stirring as the fire started to boil the mix. The potion turned a bright green, then a baby blue. The mixture had the scent of the fruit-beetle’s pheromones, a pleasant smell of roasted hazelnuts.

She then poured it out into a wooden mug, waiting for the mixture to cool. She looked out the corner of her eye, as she stirred the potion in the mug, cooling it down with a iced stirrer.

The red candle flickered. Rawrwa put the mug onto the table, as the goblin man winced in pain. She then went to her candles. She wondered if it were a trick of the light, or a light breeze.

It started flickering more, growing weaker after each flicker. She closed her eyes, praying in her heart. The light then went out.

“Goodbye, Lily,” Rawrwa whispered aloud.

She then turned back to her patient, handing him the potion in the mug. She then gestured for him to drink it. The goblin drank it up in a single gulp. He looked ready to vomit it straight back out.

“MAN UP, Yukok, you are a GOBLIN!” She shouted, yanking the arrow out with a single stroke. He then screamed out in pain. The hole that the arrow left behind, started to regenerate. Within moments, the hole was no longer there, his skin and tissue had recovered to normal.

The pain left as quickly as it came. Yukok looked at Rawrwa gratefully. 

“Try it out,” Rawrwa ordered, pushing him off the operating table. Yukok then walked around the room for a bit, the pain leaving his leg.

“Thank you, Shaman,” he said gratefully. He bowed to her.

“For Allia’s sake, be careful,” the young goblin woman reprimanded.

Yukok left the hut, leaving Rawrwa alone again.

She went to her drawer, taking out a memento from Liliana-a small necklace. Rawrwa sighed sadly.

____________________  
Liliana’s Staff was a magical staff. In moments of crisis, it would glow with the life force of its owner. The glow flickered as Liliana’s own life started to slip away, eventually disappearing. Liliana Gear had passed on, and the staff started to light up with the glow of its new owner.

It did much more than just show a representation of Domovoi’s life force. Domovoi felt himself go down onto his knees. He felt helpless, and weak in the knees.

Domovoi could feel power come back into him. Power so intense, so pure. The power wasn’t foreign either, it didn’t feel forced. The magic flowing back into the body felt as natural as water flowing down a waterfall. The Magic flowing back into Domovoi was like getting a transplant from his own body. The ornate Elderwood Staff that Liliana wielded had contained the key to the lock that had been placed on Domovoi’s latent magic power. The staff broke the limits that kept his power tethered and locked away. His magic was raw and untouched, unfiltered and unbridled.  
Domovoi then let go of the Staff. He had wanted to stop the process, but it was too late. His own power had started the process of replenishing, and restoring itself. 

Domovoi then started to feel the power’s effect. His eyes glowed a radiant white, as bright as the sun. He felt his own hands shaking and glowing the same way. He started to thrash about, on the floor. He laid himself down, and as much as he could, he tried to stop his movements.

Ariel sat down watching, as her mentor and brother figure thrashed about wildly.. She conjured up a comfortable mattress with her powers, as soft as a cloud. She then tried to restrain him onto the mattress. The tethers made of simple rope. 

“Dom, I’m sorry for this, but I’m going to have to restrain you!” Ariel cried frantically, as she made the ropes tie his arms and legs. She was worried that he would hurt himself.

Then all of a sudden, Domovoi closed his eyes. His breathing was shallow, and the bare minimum needed for the basic respiratory functions of his body.

Ariel then placed her hands on Domovoi’s chest, inspecting Domovoi’s cardiovascular functions. His vital signs seemed to be healthy. He was doing fine. 

“Dom??” Ariel whispered. She wondered what had happened. Why did Domovoi suddenly collapse?

She then closed her eyes, placing her fingers on his temples. She then tried to communicate with him.

She saw nothing from reading his mind. She saw nothing but the blackness of her eyelids. The spell didn’t work, or there was nothing to read. She was still physically in her body.

Ariel opened her eyes again, as she observed the limp body of Domovoi. She was worried that he had lost all brain thought. She could only stay seated, impotently. She tried healing Domovoi, it didn’t work.

She closed her eyes, calmly recollecting her thoughts. Domovoi would be back soon.

_______________________ 

Artemis and Joshua walked towards the Ornithopter. They examined the wreckage of Liliana’s Cottage, it was nothing but a mere pile of rubble. Artemis recognised some of the book in the library, strewn all over the place. Joshua signaled for Artemis to ready her sword.

Artemis drew her sword.

The Ornithopter was nearly undamaged. Joshua marveled at the sheer excellence of craftmanship from Powow. The wings were a bit dented up, and bent out of shape. The fabric used to cover the wings were mostly intact, with a few holes here and there. The nose of the body was dented in, presumably by the Golem.

They then edged forward towards where Shiv and the Golem was. The nose of the ornithopter must have disabled them, but Domovoi had warned them of the power of the Golem. 

The Golem wasn’t there.

“Expecting SOMEONE?” Shiv’s voice shrieked, with a psychotic glee about it. The Golem armour was badly dented and banged up. Shiv had also lost a bit of his chest plate. He held onto his sword tightly in his right arm, holding it in an offensive stance.

Shiv then swung the blade wildly, hitting Artemis’s shield.

“JOSHUA, NOW!” Artemis screamed, the blade was caught in the Justice Shield.

Joshua then charged beneath the armour’s legs, and slashed at the back of the legs. Shiv smiled, kicking Joshua away, and pulling the sword out of Artemis’s shield.

________________________

“Domovoi.”

Domovoi woke up in a landscape that was not unlike that of a picturesque evening in Allia. The sky was alight with a million stars, topped off with a moon fuller and bigger than he had ever seen. The landscape had mountains, and a giant field of green, punctuated with trees fuller and taller than the toughest of oaks. Domovoi was at the bottom of a hill.

He looked around, for the source of the words. The voice that he heard seemed familiar, yet not at the same time. He then looked up, to the top of the hill. There was a single tree there, with a figure. The figure seemed humanoid, and it seemed familiar. It looked like a young woman.

“Grandma?” He whispered. He knew that it would be inaudible for whoever was atop the hill, but he didn’t care. He wasn’t in Allia any more.

He walked up the hill, reaching the top of the hill. He then saw that the figure was indeed a young woman, who looked a lot like Liliana. Her hair was black, and her face was younger. There were less wrinkles, and her eyes weren’t as milky as they were with age. 

“Yes, dearest. It’s me,” she said. 

“But, how?” Domovoi asked in reply. How could his grandmother be so young?

“It’s because you’re currently in the Staff of Ages. The Staff that I handed to you.”

Domovoi then realised what had happened. His grandmother had recorded memories into the staff, in case she would ever pass on. This entire landscape, and world simply served to pass memories on to him. He was currently lying down in the real world.

“Then why am I here? Especially now?” Domovoi questioned. He had to get back to reality and stop his creation from killing Joshua or Artemis.

“Simple. We need to teach you the basics to controlling all that newfound power,” Liliana said. Her smile was unmistakeable. She was definitely his grandmother.

There was something wrong with this whole set up though. How did his grandmother get the amount of magical energy to be able to conjure up such a detailed dreamscape? Domovoi couldn’t help but think about how this was possible. The ability to create an illusionary spell at this level was not in his grandmother’s usual repertoire. 

“This is all your own mind, dear,” Liliana replied, as if she could read Domovoi’s mind.

“How is it so?”

Liliana then walked over to Domovoi, as she kissed him on the forehead.

“I only planted the memories into the staff. Your own magic reacted to the staff’s storage mechanisms, and conjured it up like this,” she explained.

Domovoi then kicked himself up into the air, as he swam in air. The experience of being in one’s own dreams was definitely a fun one. He then landed swiftly next to Liliana. There was not time to lose.

“I want you to unburden your heart. I want you to know that Necromancy is not an evil magic. It is merely a magic used by mostly evil people,” she said slowly. 

“How did you know, Grandma?” Domovoi asked. 

Liliana conjured up a small cloud, and projected her thoughts onto it.

“Simple. Andris in the Ragnarok Blade, and Justice Shield,” Liliana made the cloud display an image of the magical weaponry.

Domovoi nodded slowly. He was pensive about it. He had wondered when his Grandmother finally pieced the whole thing together. The fact that he was a Necromancer.

“If…if what you said is really true, Grandma…” Domovoi trailed off. He stopped talking, as if he were in deep thought.

“Do you think you’re evil?” She said seriously. Her face was suddenly deadly stoic.

Domovoi thought for a moment. He thought about how he had freed Artemis from prison. He thought about how he first saved Artemis from the rampaging Tyrannosaurus. He then thought of disturbing Andris’s rest. The invention of the Golem Armour.  
He then thought about the book he read about Necromancy. The hug that Ariel had given him after her rescue. 

“No, I don’t think I’m evil,” He replied, almost as stoic as his grandmother.

“Then there isn’t anything wrong with your usage of Necromancy. There will never be anything wrong with using any kinds of magic,” she stated.

“But Necromancy was the magic of Dominic Holyshield! The magic of the accursed one, the one that everyone condemns in their legends! The Magic of the Grim Reaper. The power of the fearful! How can ANYONE be happy wielding this magic?!” He cried. 

“Necromancy is the manipulation and usage of spirits, bones and bodies of the passed on. You think of the ones who simply overpower the will of the deceased. The ones who ignore the wishes of the dead. The ones who do it without respect whatsoever.”

“THEN WHAT ABOUT ANDRIS, AND THE GOLEM PROJECT?!” Domovoi screamed at his grandmother. The guilt had surfaced. 

Liliana hugged Domovoi tightly. Domovoi started crying. He was afraid, so afraid of the power that he suddenly had. He feared something. He feared that there was something much more to this.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Liliana whispered, comforting the prodigal prince.

“There’s everything to be afraid of.”

“No, Dom. You wield power unlike anyone else. You carry the heavy heart of guilt for waking Andris and the Golem up. You also carry that responsibility.”

Domovoi looked into the distance. He noticed the sky developing cracks, not unlike that of aged ceramic. He didn’t want this responsibility. He wanted to run away. 

“I’m not a hero. I’ve never followed my own father’s laws. I break them and leave damage in my wake,” he said, facing the distance.

“You’ve never claimed to be one,” Liliana said calmly. 

“Yet I am thrust into the role of it!”

The silence between the two was palpable. They stayed in the position for a good few minutes. They observed a Pterodactyl flying in the sky in the distance. 

“I’m afraid now, Grandma. I’m afraid about having all this power and not using it well. I’m afraid of Necromancy. I’m afraid because you’re not going to be here with me any more,” Domovoi broke down. He stayed on his knees. He let his tears drip down his face, onto the ground. The dreamscape then started to rain. The cracks got bigger.

“Dom. I’ll always be here. I’ll always be there with you, by your side.”

“What if I need you there, and you’re not tangibly contactable?”

“You’ll be fine.”

“What if I somehow screw up everything?! What if I break the law?”

“What matters is what’s right”

The cracks spread throughout the sky.

“Wha-“

“Dom. Grandma loves you, very very much. Now, go do the right thing. Stop that Golem.”

The dreamscape broke down, the sky shattering like a ornate glass ceiling around him.

_____________________

Domovoi woke up with a jolt. He looked around, as he saw the young angel beside him. He then sat up suddenly, frightening her.

“AHH!” Ariel screamed, as she punched Domovoi in the face. 

“OW!” He shouted out, startled. 

Ariel got up, and looked Domovoi in the eye. She then hugged him tightly.

“You’re okay??” Ariel asked.

Domovoi nodded.

“Ariel?” he said slowly.

“Yes?”

“Let’s go kick some Elven butt.” 

He smiled, grabbing onto the Staff.

_____________________


	13. Chapter 13-The Necromancer

Santelia wondered to himself, if Domovoi would cast a necromantic spell to revive his grandmother. She was surprised that he didn’t. 

 

She would have to stop him if he did. If he so much as cast a single cantrip with relation to necromancy, she would have to stop him.

____________________

Domovoi and Ariel moved out of the hiding spot, both armed. Domovoi embraced his newfound(well, unlocked, but old) power with gusto. He had transformed his staff into a scythe, akin to that of classical images of Death’s Scythe. The scythe’s blade curved inward at the end of the staff. The blade itself was black as night. Ariel had drawn her crossbow, a large crossbow that shone with holy light. Her quiver was armed with arrows that burned with the fire of the angels.

 

They were nearing the site of the Ornithopter’s crash, running from their hiding spot. They eventually reached where Joshua and Artemis were battling Shiv. Shiv landed hits heavily from his sword, each time missing the two.

 

“What’s the matter, the two of you?! Why aren’t you attacking me?” Shiv shrieked, his voice maniac with anger.

 

Joshua and Artemis continued to parry, and block each stab and strike from his sword. 

 

Artemis then broke off from Joshua’s position. She had to finish this. She looked a short distance away, seeing the young angel and her lover. Artemis then nodded to Ariel. Domovoi looked on with horror, as he and Ariel watched from the outside. There wasn’t an opening for them to jump into the battle without getting hit by the armour.

 

“Artemis! What are you doing?!” Joshua shouted. 

 

“Trust me.” 

 

Joshua was in no condition to stop her. He had been cut badly on his arm. 

 

Artemis ran right to the front of the Golem. She stared Shiv down with all the courage she could muster.

 

“Mistress Artemis…” Andris said. His voice was worried, but he trailed off. He knew that there was no way to convince her against this. Artemis would never turn away from a fight like this.

 

A short distance away, Domovoi stared at Ariel incredulously. 

 

“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! HE’S DISTRACTED! SHOOT THE ARMOUR DOWN!” He screamed at the Angel. Ariel hurriedly loaded her crossbow, and took aim at the Golem. She aimed for the chest, the crossbow bolt alit with holy fire.

 

Artemis stood her ground, as she prepared her sword to stab through the armour. She knew that the Ragnarok blade had the power to stab through almost anything. She wondered if Ariel could understand her signal to shoot a bolt into the armour as she distracted it with her sword and shield.

 

“GO!” Ariel shouted as loud as she could. Ariel released her arrow, aiming it right into the chest of the Golem. The bolt would only take half a second to strike the armour. 

 

Artemis stuck her sword into the Golem, or so she thought. The metal didn’t even meet. The armour was intact, and she had dropped the Ragnarok blade onto the ground below her.

 

She felt a sharp, searing pain in her gut. She saw that Shiv was much closer to her than she could remember. She looked down, seeing her legs dangling in the air. She was suspended in air, and there was blood on the ground. The blood was pooling beneath her, slowly dripping down from her body. She could feel the pain flood her body. She tried to scream, but she couldn’t feel the breath in her lungs. 

 

She then felt Shiv withdrawing back, pulling out a sword. She fell to the ground, bleeding profusely. She felt herself breathing harder and harder.

 

She looked up, noticing that there was a bolt in the armour. The bolt had impaled the side of it, and it burned with holy flames. The flames burned with a white ferocity. She heard shrieks and screams as something flowed out from that piece of armour.

 

Shiv was paralysed.

 

Artemis closed her eyes, as she smiled. She was confident that her friends could take it from here. She wasn’t dead, not yet. She was drained, as she felt herself bleeding onto the grassy plains around her. 

_______________________

 

“ARTEMIS!” Domovoi screamed, as he saw her being stabbed by Shiv in front of his eyes. Ariel had managed to incapacitate him somehow. He flinched from the crossbow bolt, before thrashing about. He seemed to be in mortal pain.

 

He saw that Ariel and Joshua had started to run towards Artemis, as she lay on the floor. He had wanted to run towards her. Except that now wasn’t the time.

 

“We’ve got her, Dom,” Joshua shouted over. He knew that Domovoi wanted some revenge.

 

Domovoi felt so much rage. He felt anger that he had never felt before. He charged into battle, as he faced the giant in front of him. Shiv flailed about, with the Golem’s arms. He wasn’t fully in control of the armour anymore. Domovoi could see the scar on his face, the gash right across his face.

 

Domovoi raised his scythe, as he took a huge swing at the armour. He hadn’t intended to cut the armour. The metal of the blade struck the armour. He then hooked the armour with the scythe. The staff started to glow a purple, with magic coming from Domovoi. He closed his eyes, and breathed deeply as he cast the spell. His eyes glowed with a violet light, as the the magic flowed.  

 

The armour started glowing a deep purple as well, as a cloud of purple started coming out of the armour. Souls and spirits started screaming as they left the armour. They all escaped into the air around, and eventually, the armour was no longer powered or enchanted. There was nothing special about the armour anymore, except for the assassin and the mechanisms about it. Shiv fell to the side as the weight of the armour pinned his body to the ground. The scythe glowed with a purple light, not unlike the colour of the mist.

 

Domovoi dismissed the scythe, as the staff reverted back into its original form.

 

Shiv moved to operate the armour, but he failed. The weight of the armour pinned him down onto the floor. He was on the floor, helpless.

 

Shiv moved to open the back of the armour, to allow himself out of the armour. Domovoi then pointed the staff to the exit panel. He cast a fire spell, and moved it skillfully on the armour. The fire-whip that he conjured up was white-hot. Domovoi then moved it to melt the exit panel, disallowing Shiv from escaping.

 

Domovoi moved the flames to the legs of the armour. He melted them in place, trapping Shiv in the metal shell of the Golem around him.

 

For the first time in a while, Domovoi felt relief. The Golem Project was no more.

 

“So this is how you leave me, Necromancer?” said Shiv. His voice was as maniacal and crazy as he was before. There wasn’t an ounce of remorse in Shiv, and Domovoi recognised that.

 

Domovoi left Shiv, as he walked to where Artemis was. Shiv wasn’t worth Artemis’s life.

 

____________________________

 

Domovoi walked towards where Artemis lay. Joshua and Ariel moved away. Ariel had been pushing as much magic into Artemis as she could, in a bid to save her life. The weakened Half Elf had her head propped up by the Justice Shield.

 

Ariel then looked seriously into Domovoi’s eyes, as she saw the pain in her brother figure. She wanted so badly to nod her head and tell him that Artemis would be alright.

 

“She’s weak, and I’ve done my best. We’ll leave you alone for a while,” Ariel whispered. Domovoi nodded his gratefulness. 

 

“Dombomb,” Artemis whispered weakly. Domovoi got onto the ground, as he kneeled by her side.

 

“I’m here. I’m here,” Domovoi whispered. His body quivered in fear, and in fury. His best friend laid on the ground, amidst the rubble and ruins of battle. He moved her head onto his knee, and tried to heal her. His magic wasn’t working at its fullest potential-he was not in the right frame of mind. The irony in the situation didn’t escape Domovoi. Every spell that he tried on her failed. He was caught up in so much fear of losing her.

 

She opened her eyes, and looked at him. She smiled, as she struggled to bring one hand to his face. Her hands were bloodied from the battle. She kept them steady, mustering the strength and resting them on his cheek.

 

“My dear Dombomb,” She said simply, with a faint smile on her face.

 

“Stay with me, Artie. Please stay with me,” He said, trying his best to remain calm. He was failing, as each spell that he could think of failed. One after another. 

 

Domovoi was terrified. He held everything he properly had left to care about in his hands, and in his arms, she was dying. Domovoi didn’t want to face up to that reality. He didn’t want to say goodbye.

 

Artemis was slowly feeling the endorphins flood her body. She was dying from the loss of blood, and there was no coming out of it. There was no way out of death, not even Magic. Artemis knew that reality. 

She held onto Domovoi’s hand, and she gripped onto it tightly-or as tightly as she could muster. Domovoi felt so much closer than he usually did. She felt the tears flow freely from his face onto hers.

 

“Dombomb, are you afraid of death?” She whispered.

 

Domovoi had no reply. It was clear that he was afraid. How could he not be when his best friend, and the person who understood him was lying there?

 

“I am,” He mouthed slowly. His words were barely audible, but she understood. He sobbed slowly, his tears flowing more and more.

 

“Dom, I’m more afraid of you,” she said. 

 

“Why?” Domovoi asked.

 

“Because you’re capable of doing so much more. You’re capable of razing a whole civilisation to sate your revenge,” she replied.

 

Domovoi held her tightly.

 

“Just promise me this: don’t let all that anger and pain eat you up. I’ll be fine,” Artemis continued.

 

“I love you Artemis. Please don’t go. Please.”

 

“I love you too.”

 

Artemis took her last breath. Her hand on Domovoi’s cheek fell limp. 

 

The raindrops from the dark clouds above started to drizzle down onto them. 

 

“Artie?” Domovoi whispered. The staff on the floor beside him started to glow a dark red. He then shook her for a bit, hoping that she had just fallen asleep. He knew that she had passed away, but he wished that he were dreaming.

 

Domovoi then slowly took Artemis’s head off his lap, resting her body on the grass. He then took the Staff in his hands. The staff’s crystal glowed a deep dark red.

 

“Dom, are you okay?” Ariel asked. She then moved towards him. 

 

“I will kill him.”

 

Domovoi said it without looking at the young angel, or his younger brother. Joshua didn’t say a word, as he saw Ariel trying to talk to Domovoi. 

 

“Stop him, please,” Ariel whispered to Joshua.

 

Joshua simply watched. 

 

He walked towards the trapped assassin in the shell of the Golem. Shiv laughed like a madman at Domovoi.

 

“Prince Domovoi, you call THAT loss??” Shiv cackled. 

 

Domovoi didn’t react to his words. He merely primed his staff, and conjured the scythe again. He readied the blade of the scythe right at the neck of the elf.

 

Shiv merely smiled.

 

“Do it then. Do it, and you would become me. You would become what I am, able to kill someone helpless and who has already surrendered,” Shiv said maliciously.

 

“I. AM. NOT. YOU,” Domovoi bellowed with a fury about him.

 

“No, of course not. You are you, and you are the same as I am.”

 

Domovoi pushed the tip of the scythe into Shiv’s neck. A trickle of blood dripped onto the scythe’s blade, as it broke into Shiv’s skin. Joshua and Ariel watched in sheer horror.

 

“You see, Prodigal Necromancer Prince- Mee, I enjoy the thrill of the kill. I enjoy the thrill it brings when I snuff a life out. I love to see the blood drip from a bloodied kill,” said Shiv. He paused for a moment, before continuing.

 

 “For you, you enjoy the thrill of learning how the universe ticks. You enjoy the thrill of making something no one else understands. You enjoy that ZONE. That RUSH it brings when you finally complete a new metal monstrosity, or whatever you make. Even that Necromantic Armour I had used today. THAT was your invention! And you will never stop inventing because you’re searching for something that mere INVENTION can never sate! Both of us…We are alone. No one understands what we are.”

 

Domovoi pulled the scythe away, as he prepared to swing right onto Shiv’s neck. He had nearly enough of his talking, his voice.

 

Ariel then smashed the spell that allowed for the Scythe’s blade to sprout from the staff. Ariel then levitated Domovoi away from the area. She then dropped him onto the floor. Domovoi let her do it, with no protest. He dropped the staff, and he started crawling into a fetal position on the grass.

 

“There’s been enough death today,” she said simply. Domovoi sat up, looking at his own hands. He had been almost willing to take a man’s life with his own two hands. Joshua walked to the imprisoned Shiv. He then kicked Shiv in the face.

 

“Shut up,” Joshua said to the trapped elf.

 

Ariel of the Potential walked slowly towards Domovoi, and gave him a big hug. It was obvious that there was a huge lump of loss in his heart. He couldn’t take it on alone.

 

“She’s gone, Domovoi. She’s gone for good,” Ariel whispered to Domovoi. Artemis had been a kind person to her too, and a good friend. Ariel felt the loss as much as Domovoi did.

 

“No, she’s not.”

 

Domovoi then looked behind him. He had hoped that Powow packed his entire bookshelf without exception. If he were lucky, there would be Dominic’s Journal. Domovoi had pocketed it from the Ancient Library.

 

Domovoi ran as fast as he could to the Ornithopter Phoenix. He opened the hatch, and ran into the library room, a small room that contained his personal bookshelf. He searched frantically, throwing books all over the place. He eventually came over the black covered journal of Dominic Holyshield. 

 

He made his way back to where Artemis’s body was. Ariel and Joshua were both wondering what Domovoi might do next.

 

“Joshua, watch Shiv for me?” Domovoi asked.

 

Joshua nodded, as Ariel followed Domovoi.

 

Domovoi opened the pages to a page about bring the dead back to life:

 

“ _On the revival of fallen friends. I have never tried it, though the theory is there. Given sufficient magical power from the caster, the revival or resurrection of a fallen person should be possible. Though with that being said, said resurrection or revival might not come back_ ** _RIGHT,_** _if_ ** _AT ALL_** _. When casting such a spell, the balance of magic coming out from the caster needs to be_ ** _PERFECT._** _If so much as a single interruption or distraction distorts and brings the attention away from the caster, the Necromancer’s target might come back wrong, or in best cases, not come back at all._ ”

 

“Domovoi. You shouldn’t do this. What if Artemis came back wrong, or what if she became some kind of monster?” pleaded Ariel. She was an angel, and she had been taught to abhor the magic of a necromancer. She had simply been told that Necromancy was against the laws of the universe, by bringing back life to a dead being. She had also been taught that Necromancy was an evil art.

 

Though she wasn’t sure anymore. All she saw in front of her was a close friend trying to bring back a mutually close friend of theirs.

 

“You called me the Truest of Magic once. You called me ‘Domovoi Bolt, Truest of Magic’ before.”

 

“It’s a simple title. Angels have titles too. I’m ‘Ariel of the Potential’.”

 

“Except that it isn’t a simple title, is it? It isn’t just a simple title. I am the Truest of Magic, and that means that my magic is true and stronger than anything in Allia for a long time.”

 

Ariel was silent. Domovoi had a bit of truth in what he said. He wasn’t just any ordinary mage or wizard.

 

“…What can I do?” Ariel asked.

 

“I need you to maintain a barrier around of me, and I need the barrier to be soundproof,” he ordered. He needed to not be disturbed by anyone or anything, and sound was the one thing that was trouble in the long run. He could close his eyes to ensure that he doesn’t get distracted from visual stimuli, but he couldn’t close his ears in anyway. He didn’t have any ear plugs on hand. He needed silence.

 

“Simple enough,” Ariel replied, as she started casting a spherical barrier around both Artemis’s body and Domovoi. Domovoi then took the staff, and sat down next to Artemis’s body. He could not hear anything from the outside anymore.

 

He felt the violet spark in his eye, as he started the casting. He pushed as much magic as he could from his body into the Staff of Ages. The Staff’s crystal started glowing a bright violet. Domovoi wasn’t done yet. He pushed even more magic into the staff, as he touched the staff’s crystal onto Artemis’s heart, moving it from place to place on her body. He felt the staff on her body, concentrating on the darkness behind his eyelids.

 

He felt all the magic in his body flowing and coursing into the staff. He exerted every single drop of magic into the staff, until he felt an empty feeling. He heard the silence of nothingness.

 

Suddenly, he then heard a scream. The silence barrier had been broken. He opened his eyes, in horror. 

 

Artemis’s body started stirring, but her hair turned from the dark ebony he had recognised, into a colour of white. The colour of milky white ivory. Her lips then started turning a bright, ruby red.

 

She wasn’t waking up. Domovoi then looked around, as he noticed that an arrow had been shot straight at Shiv. He was motionless, and most probably dead. The arrow glowed with the embers of holy flames.

 

The scream had come from Ariel. The young angel was curled up in horror. She then looked at Artemis’s body, then at Domovoi.

 

“Dom, I’m so sorry.”

 

Domovoi had no words to say. 

 

An Angel then started hovering downwards towards Domovoi, Ariel and Joshua.

 

“I am Santelia of the Unyielding Force,” she said, introducing herself. She had a bow and quiver full of arrows on her back. Her wings were as bright and shimmered as much as Ariel’s.

 

“And I am Domovoi. Your timing is most impeccable,” Domovoi said angrily.

 

She looked at the white-haired body beside him.

 

“Most impeccable. Any longer, you would have managed to bring demonspawn into the world,” She gestured to Artemis’s body.

 

Santelia then walked towards Joshua. Joshua looked at her in awe in his eyes. Santelia then formed a fist with her hand, and punched him right across the face. Joshua reeled back from the impact of the punch. He recovered, to face her.

 

Santelia’s face was ice-cold with little expression on her face. 

 

“You are Prince Joshua, Captain of the Holy Paladins, am I right?” She said clearly. 

 

“Yes, ma’am. I am,” Joshua replied sheepishly.

 

“A Wizard is casting a spell that has been deemed illegal by the Allia Agreement. You had a prisoner guilty of war crimes in the Merfolk Regions, and ordered by the Human King. By all wordings in the Allia Agreement, the Prisoner was to be killed on sight, and the Wizard taken into custody with…” Santelia then turned Joshua around, taking anti-magic handcuffs from his belt, ”anti-magic handcuffs made by Domovoi Bolt.”

 

“Yes Ma’am.”

 

“Why hasn’t any of these actions taken place yet, no matter the amount of irony?” Santelia said coldly.

 

“Because you have no right to order him around, sister.” Ariel said defiantly, standing between Santelia and Joshua.

 

“I’ll get to you in a bit, Ariel of the Potential.”

 

“You’re not getting to anything,” Ariel said back. Her whole body was shaking in fear. She had always been scared of Santelia, but she wasn’t going to be scared now.

 

Domovoi ignored Santelia. Artemis was stirring.

 

“Artemis?!” Domovoi whispered happily. He had succeeded.

 

Artemis looked at Domovoi blankly. 

 

“Who are you?”

 

________________________


	14. Chapter 14-The Necromancer Travels

“I’m Domovoi. Don’t you remember?” whispered Domovoi. He shivered with the power of the Necromancer in his fingers. The violet sparks on his fingers mingled from the feedback after casting.

 

Artemis got up from the floor, her hair white as ebony and her skin pale and milky white. Her lips were ruby red. She shook her head in reply to Domovoi.

 

“I don’t remember anything, sir,” Artemis replied. 

 

“Not even your name?” Domovoi whispered. He could feel his heartbeat, his worst fears were starting to be realised. He thought back to the journal of Dominic Holyshield-‘ _If so much as a single interruption or distraction distorts and brings the attention away from the caster, the Necromancer’s target might come back wrong, or in best cases, not come back at all.’_

 

The realisation set in. Artemis had come back wrong.

 

“Actually, sir. I remember my name. I’m Minerva.” The girl offered her hand up for a handshake. Domovoi ignored her.

 

He turned his head, and stared at Santelia. He then got up.

 

“THIS, IS **_YOUR_** FAULT, ANGEL,” He shouted at Santelia angrily. 

 

“How is it my fault, Necromancer?” she replied coldly, without emotion. She was apathetic to his situation. She cared only that he broke the law of the Allia Agreement.

 

“You interrupted my casting!” Domovoi argued.

 

“An **_ILLEGAL_** casting, I might remind you, Prince Domovoi. A casting that is also EXTREMELY disgraceful for your people,” Santelia replied. She felt disappointed by the Prince. She had observed him the past month or so, and she had expected better form from him.

 

“Well, Santelia. You can take the Allia Agreement and shove it. I’m not the Prince of Boltheim anymore,” he said angrily.

 

Domovoi turned away from her. He had no time to play ‘Diplomacy’ with an Angel. He had to find something to bring Artemis back.

 

“Ariel, Minerva, we’re leaving,” he shouted, “Joshua too, if you’re interested.”

 

Joshua did nothing. He stood straight on the spot, as if he were a simple foot soldier again. Minerva moved to Ariel, and helped Ariel.

 

Santelia drew her sword of holy fire. The sword was standard issue of angels, a flaming sword. She closed her eyes, praying for forgiveness. She then moved to attack Domovoi.

 

“Dom! LOOK-“ Ariel screamed.

 

Domovoi had already foreseen Santelia attacking. He had locked the flaming sword with his scythe. He then stared at the Angel in the eyes. 

 

“Listen, Angel. I haven’t had a good day today,” he said coolly. His eyes glowed with a violet light. He then tugged at the sword with little effort. The sword fell onto the floor with a light ‘thud’. He then clicked his fingers, and the flames on the sword went out. Domovoi then moved the scythe’s blade to Santelia’s neck.

 

“I can’t die,” Santelia said defiantly.

 

“I know you can’t,” Domovoi said slowly, “but if you so much as **TRY** to sneak attack me when my back is turned or try **ANYTHING** like that again, I will **HUNT** you down every single time you come back into the mortal realm. I will kill you **EVERY** single time, until you finally **BEG** Allia to take away your angel status, do you understand me?”

 

Santelia nodded quietly. Domovoi proceeded to drain some magic from Santelia. He knew that it would simply restrict her movements to physical ones, but it was just a precaution. He then withdrew the scythe from her neck, and dismissed it into a staff. He then looked at Joshua, who was still quiet in the corner.

 

“Josh, you joining us?” Domovoi said calmly.

 

“…No, brother.” 

 

Domovoi looked quizzically at his brother. Then he realised that no one knew that Joshua had been with Domovoi the whole time. Domovoi’s time as Prince of Boltheim was over. Joshua’s wasn’t.

 

Joshua shifted his feet.

 

“It’s not that I don’t want to support you, Domovoi. Except that you’re now…a Necromancer. You’ve been planning for ages to overthrow the King that I serve, and you very nearly just killed an Angel. I can’t stand behind all that,” Joshua explained.

 

Domovoi nodded. He understood. All this must have been deeply conflicting for Joshua. 

 

Santelia then looked to Ariel.

 

“Well, Ariel of the Potential, are you staying with the Necromancer?” Santelia spat angrily.

 

Ariel had picked up both Ragnarok and Justice. She looked at Santelia nervously, before nodding.

 

“I am. Domovoi Bolt is much more than just a mere ‘Necromancer’, Santelia. He is the Truest of Magic. He will lead Allia in the right place when it needs it the most,” she said. She wasn’t afraid of Santelia anymore.

 

Ariel then bowed to Santelia respectfully, before walking to the Ornithopter with Minerva.

 

Domovoi then magically removed all the metal from Shiv’s body, compressed it and levitated it as a whole block. He then walked together with Minerva and Ariel to the Ornithopter Phoenix.

 

“Don’t want anyone to get ahold of my plans now, do we?” Domovoi joked. 

 

Santelia and Joshua looked into the distance, as the Ornithopter took off. Its wings started to flap, faster and faster, before eventually achieving lift.

 

“We’re not going after them?” Joshua said. He honestly wasn’t in any proper physical state to give chase.

 

“No, not today.” Santelia replied. She was still a bit shaken that a human had been able to threaten her like that.

 

They looked into the distance, as Ornithopter Phoenix’s wings flew into the clouds, its gigantic wings flapping the clouds away. They both wondered how far it was destined to go, before turning their back and heading back to the city.

 

____________________________

 

“Hello, Domovoi,” the Elven Princess said. It had been a while since she had heard from Domovoi. They had been good friends for many years. Especially not by mental contact. This time, Domovoi had dreamt up a small room, with coffee and tea in pots on the table. This wasn’t a courtesy call. The room was sparse, and to the point.

 

Domovoi stood by the window, looking out. He looked a lot more different than she had remembered. He was also carrying a staff.

 

He looked a lot older than when she last saw him.

 

“Princess Pazreda, I wish to visit you and request for Political Asylum for a few weeks.”

 

Pazreda was both shocked and sad to hear such news. Domovoi Bolt would always be welcome to the Elven lands, and she wondered why he would want to leave the human kingdom of Boltheim.

 

“Did something bad happen?” Pazreda asked sadly, taking a seat at the table.

 

Domovoi turned to her, and looked directly at her. He nodded sadly.

 

“I’m afraid so. I require Political asylum from the Boltheim family, and I bring with me a few guests.”

 

Pazreda nodded.

 

“It shouldn’t be a problem, old friend. Consider it done.”

 

“I’ll see you soon, then.”

 

Domovoi opened his eyes, and he was in his study. The study on the Ornithopter Phoenix reminded him so much of the study that his Grandmother had back at her cottage. He felt a slight twinge of melancholy and guilt. He looked out the window, and estimated that the Ornithopter was flying out of the human territories. They had been flying for a few days since the events at Liliana’s Cottage.

 

Domovoi had set the Ornithopter on Auto-Pilot, and if there were any necessary adjustments that needed to be made, he would sneak in the night when both Minerva and Ariel were asleep.

 

He had been locking himself him in his study, and deliberately avoiding Minerva. He had been investigating on ways to increase his own power. He had to bring Artemis back, and get rid of this abomination of nature.

 

He heard a knock on the door. 

 

“Come in,” he ordered.

 

Minerva walked in with a tray of food.

 

“I brought you a tray of food. I figured you might be hungry after so many days of work,” she said meekly. Domovoi looked at her gratefully.

 

“…Thank you,” he said derisively.

 

Minerva then turned to him, and stared directly into his eyes.

 

“You know something, Dom? I’m getting a bit tired of you avoiding me, and treating me like crap,” she said irritatedly.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“I KNOW I look like her, but I am not Artemis, Domovoi. I’m not, and it hurts to be treated like crap just because of how I look, okay?” Minerva said firmly.

 

“…Okay. I’ll stop treating you like that.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Minerva left the room, and slammed the door shut.

 

____________________

 

Joshua walked into the throne room. Today would be the first time that he would be doing a summary of the day with Alaric. He questioned his father’s actions, especially now. He wondered why he would do something so bad that Domovoi would leave in such an explosive manner.

 

He then saw that Santelia was in the throne room beside his father.

 

Joshua bowed down on his knee.

 

“Father,” He greeted, before getting back on his feet.

 

“Joshua,” Alaric replied.

 

“Father, so what’s been-“ Joshua started, before being interrupted by Alaric.

 

“Stop with that, Josh. Stop for a second. I am only giving you one order, and one order,” Alaric said.

 

“What?” Joshua asked. 

 

“I want you to go with this Angel here, and find your brother. Find Domovoi Bolt, and bring him back here under the charge of treason and illegal magic,” Alaric ordered.

 

______________________

 

“Andris, am I a bad person for waking you up from your eternal rest?” Domovoi asked the sword and shield. He was in the laboratory that Powow had created for him. He wondered how the Goblin was doing. The laboratory was perfectly the correct size to do comfortable work in, and Domovoi was silently grateful for every single new feature that he found about the place.

 

“No, you are not.”

 

“I am a Necromancer. I’m well on the path that Dominic was! Prince Dominic! The Bringer of Darkness and Blight!” Domovoi said. He wondered how the Sword and shield could still agree to follow along.

 

“No sir. If it is for the greater good and furthering of the interests of the Holyshield Descendants, I will always be happy to help.”

 

Andris’s tone seemed to be genuine.

 

“Even if I am using the same power as Prince Dominic?” Domovoi countered. He wondered why he wasn’t considered evil enough to stop following. He wondered how did Andris keep so much loyalty.

 

“Prince Dominic was not always as evil as he is depicted in legends. It is saddening to know that he is shown as such. He was a much better man than many people assume. He merely chose the wrong path to take to attain power,” explained Andris. His tone seemed saddened.

 

Ariel then burst into the door, holding a book.

 

“I SUDDENLY REMEMBER SOMETHING!” Ariel said. She seemed to have ran all the way from her room into the workshop.

 

“What?” Domovoi asked.

 

“I remember a source of immense power. I remember that there was something about it when I was reading in Grandma’s Cottage,” Ariel explained. She then put the book on the table.

 

It read ‘Ancient Stories of Allia’.

 

She then flipped to a page and read aloud.

 

“ _Of all artifacts, the strongest known Mana-Battery would the one called ‘The Pearl of Allia’. It is said that there are four guardians of its secrets, one from each race of Allia,”_ read Ariel.

 

If the legend was true, then they might be able to bring Artemis back. Domovoi knew that, and he had wanted his best friend back.

 

“Well, then. I suppose we need to get on the road, don’t we?” Domovoi smiled. He knew that if anything, it was worth a shot.

 

Ariel nodded, but she wondered if they would eventually find it. She then looked back at Domovoi, a person most like a brother than she could imagine. She was reassured that what mattered was to try.

 

The both of them got to the bridge of the flying ship. They looked at the horizon ahead, knowing that their long and arduous journey had only just begin.

 

_______________________


End file.
